Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor device capable of stabilizing operations thereof is provided. This semiconductor device comprises a substrate provided with a region having concentrated dislocations at least on part of the back surface thereof, a semiconductor element layer formed on the front surface of the substrate, an insulator film formed on the region of the back surface of the substrate having concentrated dislocations and a back electrode formed to be in contact with a region of the back surface of the substrate other than the region having concentrated dislocations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method offabricating the same, and more particularly, it relates to asemiconductor device having a semiconductor element layer formed on asubstrate and a method of fabricating the same.

2. Description of the Background Art

In general, a light-emitting diode device or a semiconductor laserdevice is known as a semiconductor device having a semiconductor elementlayer formed on a substrate. Such a semiconductor device is disclosed inJapanese Patent Laying-Open No. 11-214798 (1999), for example.

The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 11-214798 discloses anitride-based semiconductor laser device having a plurality ofnitride-based semiconductor layers formed on a nitride-basedsemiconductor substrate. More specifically, an n-type nitride-basedsemiconductor layer, an emission layer consisting of a nitride-basedsemiconductor and a p-type nitride-based semiconductor layer aresuccessively formed on an n-type GaN substrate in the nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device disclosed in the aforementioned JapanesePatent Laying-Open No. 11-214798. A ridge portion serving as a currentpath portion is formed on the p-type nitride-based semiconductor layer,while a p-side electrode is formed on the ridge portion. An n-sideelectrode is formed on the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate.

When dislocations are present on the back surface of the substrate inthe aforementioned semiconductor device having an electrode on the backsurface of the substrate, current flows to regions of the back surfaceof the substrate having the dislocations, to result in development ofleakage current. In the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No.11-214798, therefore, the n-type GaN substrate is prepared by lateralgrowth thereby reducing the number of dislocations present in the n-typeGaN substrate. More specifically, a mask layer is formed on a prescribedportion of a sapphire substrate, and an n-type GaN layer is thereafterlaterally grown on the sapphire substrate through the mask layer servingas a selective growth mask. At this time, the n-type GaN layer isselectively longitudinally grown on portions of the sapphire substrateformed with no mask layer, and thereafter gradually grown in the lateraldirection. The n-type GaN layer is laterally grown to laterally benddislocations, thereby inhibiting the dislocations from longitudinalpropagation. Thus, the n-type GaN layer is so formed as to reduce thenumber of dislocations reaching the upper surface thereof. Thereafterregions (the sapphire substrate etc.) including the mask layer locatedunder the n-type GaN layer are removed thereby forming an n-type GaNsubstrate having a reduced number of dislocations.

In the method of the aforementioned literature, however, regions havingconcentrated dislocations are disadvantageously formed on the portions,allowing longitudinal growth of the n-type GaN layer, formed with nomask layer. If the n-side electrode is formed on regions of the backsurface of the n-type GaN substrate having concentrated dislocationswhen the n-type GaN substrate is prepared from the n-type GaN layerincluding the regions having concentrated dislocations, current flows tothe regions of the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate havingconcentrated dislocations to disadvantageously result in development ofleakage current. In this case, optical output is unstabilized when thedevice is subjected to constant current driving, and hence it isdisadvantageously difficult to stabilize operations of the device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been proposed in order to solve theaforementioned problem, and an object thereof is to provide asemiconductor device capable of stabilizing operations thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method offabricating a semiconductor device capable of stabilizing operationsthereof.

In order to attain the aforementioned objects, a semiconductor deviceaccording to a first aspect of the present invention comprises asubstrate provided with a region of the back surface having concentrateddislocations at least on part of the back surface thereof, asemiconductor element layer formed on the front surface of thesubstrate, an insulator film formed on the region of the back surfacehaving the concentrated dislocations and a back electrode formed to bein contact with a region of the back surface of the substrate other thanthe region of the back surface having the concentrated dislocations.

In the semiconductor device according to the first aspect, ashereinabove described, the insulator film is formed on the region of theback surface of the substrate having concentrated dislocations while theback electrode is formed to be in contact with the region of the backsurface of the substrate other than the region having concentrateddislocations so that the insulator film covers the region of the backsurface of the substrate having concentrated dislocations not to exposethe same, whereby it is possible to easily suppress development ofleakage current resulting from current flowing to the region of the backsurface of the substrate having concentrated dislocations. Consequently,optical output can be easily stabilized when the device is subjected toconstant current driving, whereby operations of the semiconductor devicecan be easily stabilized. Further, the quantity of current flowing tothe region having concentrated dislocations can be so reduced that it ispossible to reduce unnecessary emission from the region havingconcentrated dislocations.

In the aforementioned semiconductor device according to the firstaspect, the semiconductor element layer is preferably provided with aregion of the front surface having the concentrated dislocations atleast on part of the front surface thereof, and the semiconductor devicepreferably further comprises a front electrode formed to be in contactwith a region of the front surface of the semiconductor element layerother than the region of the front surface having the concentrateddislocations. According to this structure, it is possible to suppressdevelopment of leakage current resulting from current flowing to theregion of the front surface of the semiconductor element layer havingconcentrated dislocations. Consequently, optical output can bestabilized when the device is subjected to constant current driving,whereby operations of the semiconductor device can be stabilized alsowhen the semiconductor element layer is provided with the region havingconcentrated dislocations on the front surface thereof. Further, thequantity of current flowing to the region having concentrateddislocations can be so reduced that it is possible to reduce unnecessaryemission from the region having concentrated dislocations.

In the semiconductor device according to the first aspect, the substratemay include a nitride-based semiconductor substrate. According to thisstructure, the nitride-based semiconductor substrate can be inhibitedfrom development of leakage current.

A semiconductor device according to a second aspect of the presentinvention comprises a semiconductor element layer formed on the frontsurface of a substrate and provided with a region of the front surfacehaving concentrated dislocations at least on part of the front surfacethereof, an insulator film formed on the region of the front surfacehaving the concentrated dislocations and a front electrode formed to bein contact with a region of the front surface of the semiconductorelement layer other than the region of the front surface having theconcentrated dislocations.

In the semiconductor device according to the second aspect, ashereinabove described, the insulator film is formed on the region of thefront surface of the semiconductor element layer having concentrateddislocations while the front electrode is formed to be in contact withthe region of the front surface of the semiconductor element layer otherthan the region having concentrated dislocations so that the insulatorfilm covers the region of the front surface of the semiconductor elementlayer having concentrated dislocations not to expose the same, wherebyit is possible to easily suppress development of leakage currentresulting from current flowing to the region of the front surface of thesemiconductor element layer having concentrated dislocations.Consequently, optical output can be easily stabilized when the device issubjected to constant current driving, whereby operations of thesemiconductor device can be easily stabilized. Further, the quantity ofcurrent flowing to the region having concentrated dislocations can be soreduced that it is possible to reduce unnecessary emission from theregion having concentrated dislocations.

In the aforementioned semiconductor device according to the secondaspect, the substrate is preferably provided with a region of the backsurface having the concentrated dislocations on at least part of theback surface thereof, and the semiconductor device preferably furthercomprises a back electrode formed to be in contact with a region of theback surface of the substrate other than the region of the back surfacehaving the concentrated dislocations. According to this structure, it ispossible to suppress development of leakage current resulting fromcurrent flowing to the region of the back surface of the substratehaving concentrated dislocations. Consequently, optical output can bestabilized when the device is subjected to constant current driving,whereby operations of the semiconductor device can be stabilized alsowhen the substrate is provided with the region having concentrateddislocations on the back surface thereof. Further, the quantity ofcurrent flowing to the region having concentrated dislocations can be soreduced that it is possible to reduce unnecessary emission from theregion having concentrated dislocations.

In this case, the substrate may include a nitride-based semiconductorsubstrate. According to this structure, the nitride-based semiconductorsubstrate can be inhibited from development of leakage current.

In this case, the side of the back electrode is preferably provided on aposition inwardly separated from the side of the substrate by aprescribed interval. According to this structure, solder can beinhibited from flowing toward the side of the semiconductor elementlayer formed on the substrate when the solder is welded to the backelectrode, for example. Thus, the semiconductor device can be inhibitedfrom a defective short.

In this case, the semiconductor device preferably further comprises aninsulator film formed on the region of the back surface having theconcentrated dislocations. According to this structure, the insulatorfilm covers the region of the back surface of the substrate havingconcentrated dislocations not to expose the same, whereby it is possibleto easily suppress development of leakage current resulting from currentflowing to the region of the back surface of the substrate havingconcentrated dislocations.

A semiconductor device according to a third aspect of the presentinvention comprises a semiconductor element layer formed on the frontsurface of a substrate and provided with a region of the front surfacehaving concentrated dislocations at least on part of the front surfacethereof, a recess portion formed on a region of the front surface of thesemiconductor element layer located inward beyond the region of thefront surface having the concentrated dislocations and a front electrodeformed to be in contact with a region of the front surface of thesemiconductor element layer other than the region of the front surfacehaving the concentrated dislocations.

In the semiconductor device according to the third embodiment, ashereinabove described, the recess portion is formed on the region of thefront surface of the semiconductor element layer located inward beyondthe region having concentrated dislocations while the front electrode isformed to be in contact with the region of the front surface of thesemiconductor element layer other than the region having concentrateddislocations, whereby it is possible to suppress development of leakagecurrent resulting from current flowing to the region of the frontsurface of the semiconductor element layer having concentrateddislocations. Consequently, optical output can be stabilized when thedevice is subjected to constant current driving, whereby operations ofthe semiconductor device can be stabilized. When the semiconductordevice is applied to a light-emitting device, for example, the recessportion parts the region of the front surface of the semiconductorelement layer located inward beyond the region having concentrateddislocations and the region of the front surface of the semiconductorelement layer having concentrated dislocations from each other, wherebythe region of the front surface of the semiconductor element layerhaving concentrated dislocations can be inhibited from absorbing lightemitted from the region of the front surface of the semiconductorelement layer located inward beyond the region having concentrateddislocations. Thus, light absorbed by the region having concentrateddislocations can be inhibited from reemission at an unintendedwavelength, whereby deterioration of color purity resulting from suchreemission can be suppressed.

In the aforementioned semiconductor device according to the thirdaspect, the substrate is preferably provided with a region of the backsurface having the concentrated dislocations at least on part of theback surface thereof, and the semiconductor device preferably furthercomprises a back electrode formed to be in contact with a region of theback surface of the substrate other than the region of the back surfacehaving the concentrated dislocations. According to this structure, it ispossible to suppress development of leakage current resulting fromcurrent flowing to the region of the back surface of the substratehaving concentrated dislocations. Consequently, optical output can bestabilized when the device is subjected to constant current driving,whereby operations of the semiconductor device can be stabilized alsowhen the substrate is provided with the region having concentrateddislocations the back surface thereof. Further, the quantity of currentflowing to the region having concentrated dislocations can be so reducedthat it is possible to reduce unnecessary emission from the regionhaving concentrated dislocations.

In this case, the semiconductor device preferably further comprises aninsulator film formed on the region of the back surface having theconcentrated dislocations. According to this structure, the insulatorfilm covers the region of the back surface of the substrate havingconcentrated dislocations not to expose the same, whereby it is possibleto easily suppress development of leakage current resulting from currentflowing to the region of the back surface of the substrate havingconcentrated dislocations.

In this case, the substrate may include a nitride-based semiconductorsubstrate. According to this structure, the nitride-based semiconductorsubstrate can be inhibited from development of leakage current.

A semiconductor device according to a fourth aspect of the presentinvention comprises a semiconductor element layer formed on the frontsurface of a substrate and provided with a region of the front surfacehaving concentrated dislocations at least on part of the front surfacethereof, a high resistance region formed in the region of the frontsurface having the concentrated dislocations and a front electrodeformed to be in contact with a region of the front surface of thesemiconductor element layer other than the region of the front surfacehaving the concentrated dislocations.

In the semiconductor device according to the fourth aspect, ashereinabove described, the high resistance region is formed in theregion of the front surface of the semiconductor element layer havingconcentrated regions while the front electrode is formed to be incontact with the region of the front surface of the semiconductorelement layer other than the region having concentrated dislocations sothat current hardly flows to the region of the front surface of thesemiconductor element layer having concentrated dislocations due toformation of the high resistance region, whereby it is possible tosuppress development of leakage current resulting from current flowingto the region of the front surface of the semiconductor element layerhaving concentrated dislocations. Consequently, optical output can beeasily stabilized when the device is subjected to constant currentdriving, whereby operations of the semiconductor device can be easilystabilized. Further, the quantity of current flowing to the regionhaving concentrated dislocations can be so reduced that it is possibleto reduce unnecessary emission from the region having concentrateddislocations.

In the aforementioned semiconductor device according to the fourthaspect, the high resistance region preferably includes an impurityintroduction layer formed by introducing the impurity. According to thisstructure, the high resistance region can be easily formed on the regionof the front surface of the semiconductor element layer havingconcentrated dislocations.

In the aforementioned semiconductor device according to the fourthaspect, the substrate is preferably provided with a region of the backsurface having the concentrated dislocations at least on part of theback surface thereof, and the semiconductor device preferably furthercomprises a back electrode formed to be in contact with a region of theback surface of the substrate other than the region of the back surfacehaving the concentrated dislocations. According to this structure, it ispossible to suppress development of leakage current resulting fromcurrent flowing to the region of the back surface of the substratehaving concentrated dislocations. Consequently, optical output can bestabilized when the device is subjected to constant current driving,whereby operations of the semiconductor device can be stabilized alsowhen the substrate is provided with the region having concentrateddislocations on the back surface thereof. Further, the quantity ofcurrent flowing to the region having concentrated dislocations can be soreduced that it is possible to reduce unnecessary emission from theregion having concentrated dislocations.

In this case, the semiconductor device preferably further comprises aninsulator film formed on the region of the back surface having theconcentrated dislocations. According to this structure, the insulatorfilm covers the region of the back surface of the substrate havingconcentrated dislocations not to expose the same, whereby it is possibleto easily suppress development of leakage current resulting from currentflowing to the region of the back surface of the substrate havingconcentrated dislocations.

In the aforementioned semiconductor device according to the fourthaspect, the substrate may include a nitride-based semiconductorsubstrate. According to this structure, the nitride-based semiconductorsubstrate can be inhibited from development of leakage current.

A semiconductor device according to a fifth aspect of the presentinvention comprises a semiconductor element layer formed on the frontsurface of a substrate and provided with a region of the front surfacehaving concentrated dislocations at least on part of the front surfacethereof while including an active layer and a front electrode formed tobe in contact with a region of the front surface of the semiconductorelement layer other than the region of the front surface having theconcentrated dislocations, and the upper surface of the region of thefront surface having the concentrated dislocations is partially removedby a prescribed thickness and located downward beyond the active layer.

In the semiconductor device according to the fifth aspect, ashereinabove described, the upper surface of the region of the frontsurface of the semiconductor element layer having concentrateddislocations is partially removed by the prescribed thickness so thatthe upper surface of the region of the front surface of thesemiconductor element layer having concentrated dislocations is locateddownward beyond the active layer, whereby part of the region havingconcentrated dislocations formed through a p-n junction region isremoved when the p-n junction region is formed to hold the active layerso that it is possible to suppress development of leakage currentresulting from current flowing to the region having concentrateddislocations. Consequently, optical output can be easily stabilized whenthe device is subjected to constant current driving, whereby operationsof the semiconductor device can be easily stabilized. Further, thequantity of current flowing to the region having concentrateddislocations can be so reduced that it is possible to reduce unnecessaryemission from the region having concentrated dislocations.

In the aforementioned semiconductor device according to the fifthaspect, the active layer is preferably formed in a region of the frontsurface of the semiconductor element layer other than the region of thefront surface having the concentrated dislocations. According to thisstructure, it is possible to easily suppress development of leakagecurrent resulting from formation of the region having concentrateddislocations through a p-n junction region when the p-n junction regionis formed to hold the active layer.

In this case, the semiconductor element layer preferably includes afirst conductivity type first semiconductor layer formed under theactive layer, the first semiconductor layer preferably includes a firstregion having a first thickness located inward beyond the region of thefront surface having the concentrated dislocations and a second region,including the region of the front surface having the concentrateddislocations, having a second thickness smaller than the firstthickness, and the active layer preferably has a width smaller than thewidth of the first region of the first semiconductor layer. According tothis structure, a p-n junction region is smaller than the first regionof the first semiconductor layer when the p-n junction region is formedto hold the active layer, whereby a p-n junction capacitance can bereduced. Thus, the speed of response of the semiconductor device can beincreased.

A semiconductor device according to a sixth aspect of the presentinvention comprises a substrate including a first region having a firstthickness and a second region provided with a region of the frontsurface having concentrated dislocations at least on part of the frontsurface thereof while having a second thickness smaller than the firstthickness, a semiconductor element layer formed on the first region ofthe front surface of the substrate other than the second region providedwith the region of the front surface having the concentrateddislocations and a front electrode formed to be in contact with thefront surface of the semiconductor element layer.

In the semiconductor device according to the sixth aspect, ashereinabove described, the semiconductor element layer is formed on thefirst region of the front surface of the substrate other than the secondregion provided with the region having concentrated dislocations whilethe front electrode is formed to be in contact with the front surface ofthe semiconductor element layer so that the semiconductor element layeris formed with no region having concentrated dislocations, whereby it ispossible to suppress development of leakage current resulting fromcurrent flowing to the region having concentrated dislocations.Consequently, optical output can be easily stabilized when the device issubjected to constant current driving, whereby operations of thesemiconductor device can be easily stabilized. Further, the quantity ofcurrent flowing to the region having concentrated dislocations can be soreduced that it is possible to reduce unnecessary emission from theregion having concentrated dislocations.

In the aforementioned semiconductor device according to the sixthaspect, the semiconductor element layer preferably includes a firstconductivity type first semiconductor layer, an active layer formed onthe first semiconductor layer and a second conductivity type secondsemiconductor layer formed on the active layer. According to thisstructure, a p-n junction region between the first and secondsemiconductor layers formed through the active layer is formed with noregion having concentrated dislocations, whereby it is possible toeasily suppress development of leakage current resulting from currentflowing to the region having concentrated dislocations.

In this case, the active layer preferably has a width smaller than thewidth of the first semiconductor layer. According to this structure, thep-n junction region between the first and second semiconductor layersformed through the active layer is so reduced that the p-n junctioncapacitance formed by the first and second semiconductor layers can bereduced. Thus, the speed of response of the semiconductor device can beincreased.

A semiconductor device according to a seventh aspect of the presentinvention comprises a substrate provided with a region of the frontsurface having concentrated dislocations at least on part of the frontsurface thereof, a first selective growth mask formed on a region of thefront surface of the substrate located inward beyond the region of thefront surface having the concentrated dislocations with a width smallerthan the width of the region of the front surface having theconcentrated dislocations, a semiconductor element layer formed on aregion of the front surface of the substrate other than a region formedwith the first selective growth mask and a front electrode formed to bein contact with a portion of the front surface of the semiconductorelement layer located inside the first selective growth mask.

In the semiconductor device according to the seventh aspect, ashereinabove described, the first selective growth mask having the widthsmaller than the width of the region having concentrated dislocations isformed on the region located inward beyond the region of the frontsurface of the substrate having concentrated dislocations so that nosemiconductor element layer is grown on the first selective growth maskwhen the semiconductor element layer is grown on the front surface ofthe substrate, whereby a recess portion is formed between a portion ofthe semiconductor element layer formed on the region of the frontsurface of the substrate inside the region having concentrateddislocations and another portion of the semiconductor element layerformed on the region of the front surface of the substrate havingconcentrated dislocations. Therefore, the recess portion can part theportion of the semiconductor element layer formed on the region of thefront surface of the substrate inside the region having concentrateddislocations and the portion of the semiconductor element layer formedon the region of the front surface of the substrate having concentrateddislocations from each other. In this case, it is possible to suppressdevelopment of leakage current resulting from current flowing to theregion of the front surface of the semiconductor element layer havingconcentrated dislocations by forming the front electrode to be incontact with the portion of the front surface of the semiconductorelement layer located inside the first selective growth mask.Consequently, optical output can be stabilized when the device issubjected to constant current driving, whereby operations of thesemiconductor device can be stabilized. When the semiconductor device isapplied to a light-emitting device, for example, the recess portionparts the region of the front surface of the semiconductor element layerlocated inward beyond the region having concentrated dislocations andthe region of the front surface of the semiconductor element layerhaving concentrated dislocations from each other, whereby the region ofthe front surface of the semiconductor element layer having concentrateddislocations can be inhibited from absorbing light emitted from theregion of the front surface of the semiconductor layer located inwardbeyond the region having concentrated dislocations. Thus, light absorbedby the region having concentrated dislocations can be inhibited fromreemission at an unintended wavelength, whereby deterioration of colorpurity resulting from such reemission can be suppressed. According tothe seventh aspect, further, the width of the first selective growthmask is so reduced as to reduce the total quantity of source gasreaching the overall surface of the first selective growth mask, therebyreducing the quantity of the source gas or decomposites thereofdiffusing from the surface of the first selective growth mask into thefront surface under the growth of the semiconductor element layerlocated in the vicinity of the first selective growth mask. Thus, amountof increase of the quantity of the source gas or the decompositesthereof supplied to the front surface under the growth of thesemiconductor element layer located in the vicinity of the firstselective growth mask can be reduced, whereby the thickness of thesemiconductor element layer located in the vicinity of the firstselective growth mask can be inhibited from increase. Consequently, thethickness of the semiconductor element layer can be inhibited frominequality between a position close to the first selective growth maskand a position separated from the first selective growth mask.

The aforementioned semiconductor device according to the seventh aspectpreferably further comprises a second selective growth mask formed on aregion located outward beyond the first selective growth mask at aprescribed interval from the first selective growth mask. According tothis structure, no semiconductor element layer is grown on the secondselective growth mask when the semiconductor element layer is grown onthe region of the front surface of the substrate having concentrateddislocations, for example, whereby the semiconductor element layer canbe inhibited from formation of dislocations.

In this case, the second selective growth mask is preferably formed onthe region of the front surface having the concentrated dislocations.According to this structure, the semiconductor element layer can beeasily inhibited from formation of dislocations.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device according to an eighthaspect of the present invention comprises steps of forming asemiconductor element layer on the front surface of a substrate providedwith a region of the back surface having concentrated dislocations atleast on part of the back surface thereof, forming a back electrode tobe in contact with the back surface of the substrate and removing theregion of the back surface having the concentrated dislocations afterforming the semiconductor element layer and the back electrode.

In the method of fabricating a semiconductor device according to theeighth aspect, as hereinabove described, the region having concentrateddislocations is removed after formation of the semiconductor elementlayer and the back electrode so that it is possible to easily suppressdevelopment of leakage current resulting from current flowing to theregion of the back surface of the substrate having concentrateddislocations. Consequently, optical output can be easily stabilized whenthe device is subjected to constant current driving, whereby a stablyoperating semiconductor device can be easily fabricated. When thesemiconductor device is applied to a light-emitting device, for example,it is possible to easily inhibit the region of the back surface of thesubstrate having concentrated dislocations from absorbing light emittedfrom the semiconductor element layer. Thus, light absorbed by the regionhaving concentrated dislocations can be easily inhibited from reemissionat an unintended wavelength, whereby deterioration of color purityresulting from such reemission can be suppressed.

In the aforementioned method of fabricating a semiconductor deviceaccording to the eighth aspect, the step of removing the region of theback surface having the concentrated dislocations preferably includes astep of removing a portion between the back surface of the substrate andthe front surface of the semiconductor element layer with asubstantially identical width. According to this structure, threadingdislocations extending from the back surface of the substrate to thefront surface of the semiconductor element layer can be easily removed.

In the aforementioned method of fabricating a semiconductor deviceaccording to the eighth aspect, the substrate may include anitride-based semiconductor substrate. According to this structure, anitride-based semiconductor device capable of inhibiting a nitride-basedsemiconductor substrate from development of leakage current can beeasily formed.

The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of thepresent invention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the present invention when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the structure of a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device (semiconductor device) according to a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view detailedly showing an emissionlayer of the nitride-based semiconductor laser device according to thefirst embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 to 12 are sectional views for illustrating fabrication processesfor the nitride-based semiconductor laser device according to the firstembodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing the structure of a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device (semiconductor device) according to a secondembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 14 and 15 are sectional views for illustrating fabricationprocesses for the nitride-based semiconductor laser device according tothe second embodiment shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view showing the structure of a light-emittingdiode device (semiconductor device) according to a third embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIGS. 17 to 21 are sectional view for illustrating fabrication processesfor the light-emitting diode device according to the third embodimentshown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 22 is a sectional view showing the structure of a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device (semiconductor device) according to a fourthembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 23 to 26 are sectional views for illustrating fabricationprocesses for the nitride-based semiconductor laser device according tothe fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 22;

FIG. 27 is a sectional view showing the structure of a light-emittingdiode device (semiconductor device) according to a fifth embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 28 is a sectional view for illustrating a fabrication process forthe light-emitting diode device according to the fifth embodiment shownin FIG. 27;

FIG. 29 is a sectional view showing the structure of a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device (semiconductor device) according to a sixthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 30 is a sectional view showing the structure of a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device (semiconductor device) according to a seventhembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 31 is a sectional view showing the structure of a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device according to a first modification of theseventh embodiment shown in FIG. 30;

FIG. 32 is a sectional view showing the structure of a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device according to a second modification of theseventh embodiment shown in FIG. 30;

FIG. 33 is a sectional view showing the structure of a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device (semiconductor device) according to an eighthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 34 is a sectional view showing the structure of a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device (semiconductor device) according to a ninthembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 35 to 38 are sectional views for illustrating fabricationprocesses for the nitride-based semiconductor laser device according tothe ninth embodiment shown in FIG. 34;

FIG. 39 is a sectional view showing the structure of a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device (semiconductor device) according to a tenthembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 40 to 45 are sectional views for illustrating fabricationprocesses for the nitride-based semiconductor laser device according tothe tenth embodiment shown in FIG. 39;

FIG. 46 is a sectional view showing the structure of a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device (semiconductor device) according to aneleventh embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 47 and 48 are sectional views for illustrating fabricationprocesses for the nitride-based semiconductor laser device according tothe eleventh embodiment shown in FIG. 46;

FIG. 49 is a sectional view showing the structure of a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device (semiconductor device) according to a twelfthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 50 is a sectional view for illustrating a fabrication process forthe nitride-based semiconductor laser device according to the twelfthembodiment shown in FIG. 49;

FIG. 51 is a sectional view showing the structure of a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device (semiconductor device) according to athirteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 52 to 55 are plan views and sectional views for illustratingfabrication processes for the nitride-based semiconductor laser deviceaccording to the thirteenth embodiment shown in FIG. 51;

FIG. 56 is a sectional view showing the structure of a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device (semiconductor device) according to afourteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 57 to 60 are plan views and sectional views for illustratingfabrication processes for the nitride-based semiconductor laser deviceaccording to the fourteenth embodiment shown in FIG. 56;

FIG. 61 is a plan view for illustrating a fabrication process for anitride-based semiconductor laser device according to a modification ofthe fourteenth embodiment;

FIG. 62 is a plan view showing the structure of a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device according to a fifteenth embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 63 is a sectional view taken along the line 500-500 in FIG. 62;

FIG. 64 is a sectional view detailedly showing an emission layer of thenitride-based semiconductor laser device according to the fifteenthembodiment shown in FIGS. 62 and 63; and

FIG. 65 is a perspective view showing the structure of a semiconductorlaser employing the nitride-based semiconductor laser device accordingto the fifteenth embodiment shown in FIGS. 62 and 63.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention are now described with reference tothe drawings.

First Embodiment

The structure of a nitride-based semiconductor laser device according toa first embodiment of the present invention is described with referenceto FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the nitride-based semiconductor laser device according to the firstembodiment, an n-type layer 2 having a thickness of about 100 nm andconsisting of n-type GaN doped with Si having an atomic density of about5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ is formed on the (0001) plane of an n-type GaN substrate 1of a wurtzite structure having a thickness of about 100 μm and dopedwith oxygen having a carrier concentration of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³, asshown in FIG. 1. An n-type cladding layer 3 having a thickness of about400 nm and consisting of n-type Al_(0.05)Ga_(0.95)N doped with Si havingan atomic density of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ and a carrier concentration ofabout 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ is formed on the n-type layer 2. The n-type GaNsubstrate 1 is an example of the “substrate” or the “nitride-basedsemiconductor substrate” in the present invention, and the n-type layer2 and the n-type cladding layer 3 are examples of the “semiconductorelement layer” in the present invention.

An emission layer 4 is formed on the n-type cladding layer 3. As shownin FIG. 2, this emission layer 4 is constituted of an n-type carrierblocking layer 4 a, an n-type light guide layer 4 b, a multiple quantumwell (MQW) active layer 4 e, a p-type light guide layer 4 f and a p-typecap layer 4 g. The n-type carrier blocking layer 4 a has a thickness ofabout 5 nm, and consists of n-type Al_(0.1)Ga_(0.9)N doped with Sihaving an atomic density of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ and a carrierconcentration of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³. The n-type light guide layer 4 b hasa thickness of about 100 nm, and consists of n-type GaN doped with Sihaving an atomic density of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ and a carrierconcentration of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³. The MQW active layer 4 e is formedby alternately stacking four barrier layers 4 c of undopedIn_(0.05)Ga_(0.95)N each having a thickness of about 20 nm and threewell layers 4 d of undoped In_(0.15)Ga_(0.85)N each having a thicknessof about 3 nm. The p-type light guide layer 4 f has a thickness of about100 nm, and consists of p-type GaN doped with Mg having an atomicdensity of about 4×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ and a carrier concentration of about 5×10¹⁷cm⁻³. The p-type cap layer 4 g has a thickness of about 20 nm, andconsists of p-type Al_(0.1)Ga_(0.9)N doped with Mg having an atomicdensity of about 4×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ and a carrier concentration of about 5×10¹⁷cm⁻³. The emission layer 4 is an example of the “semiconductor elementlayer” in the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a p-type cladding layer 5 having a projectingportion and consisting of p-type Al_(0.05)Ga_(0.95)N doped with Mghaving an atomic density of about 4×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ and a carrierconcentration of about 5×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ is formed on the emission layer 4.The projecting portion of this p-type cladding layer 5 has a width ofabout 1.5 μm and a height of about 300 nm. Flat portions of the p-typecladding layer 5 other than the projecting portion have a thickness ofabout 100 nm. A p-type contact layer 6 having a thickness of about 10 nmand consisting of p-type GaN doped with Mg having an atomic density ofabout 4×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ and a carrier concentration of about 5×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ isformed on the projecting portion of the p-type cladding layer 5. Theprojecting portion of the p-type cladding layer 5 and the p-type contactlayer 6 constitute a striped (elongated) ridge portion 7 extending in aprescribed direction. The p-type cladding layer 5 and the p-type contactlayer 6 are examples of the “semiconductor element layer” in the presentinvention.

A p-side ohmic electrode 9 consisting of a Pt layer having a thicknessof about 5 nm, a Pd layer having a thickness of about 100 nm and an Aulayer having a thickness of about 150 nm in ascending order is formed onthe p-type contact layer 6 constituting the ridge portion 7. The p-sideohmic electrode 9 is an example of the “front electrode” in the presentinvention. Insulator films 10 of SiN having a thickness of about 250 nmare formed on the front surfaces of the flat portions of the p-typecladding layer 5 other than the projecting portion to cover the sidesurfaces of the ridge portion 7 and the p-side ohmic electrode 9. Ap-side pad electrode 11 consisting of a Ti layer having a thickness ofabout 100 nm, a Pd layer having a thickness of about 100 nm and an Aulayer having a thickness of about 3 μm in ascending order is formed onthe front surfaces of the insulator films 10 to be in contact with theupper surface of the p-side ohmic electrode 9.

In the vicinity of ends of the n-type GaN substrate 1 and thenitride-based semiconductor layers 2 to 5, regions 8 of about 10 μm inwidth having concentrated dislocations, extending from the back surfaceof the n-type GaN substrate 1 to the front surfaces of the flat portionsof the p-type cladding layer 5, are formed with a period of about 400 μmin a striped (elongated) shape. According to the first embodiment,insulator films 12 of SiO₂ having a thickness of about 250 nm and awidth of about 40 μm are formed to cover the regions 8 havingconcentrated dislocations on the back surface of the n-type GaNsubstrate 1. An n-side electrode 13 is formed on the back surface of then-type GaN substrate 1 to be in contact with a region of the backsurface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 other than the regions 8 havingconcentrated dislocations while covering the insulator films 12. Thisn-side electrode 13 consists of an Al layer having a thickness of about10 nm, a Pt layer having a thickness of about 20 nm and an Au layerhaving a thickness of about 300 nm successively from the side closer tothe back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1. The n-side electrode 13is an example of the “back electrode” in the present invention.

According to the first embodiment, as hereinabove described, theinsulator films 12 are formed on the regions 8 having concentrateddislocations on the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 and then-side electrode 13 is formed to be in contact with the region of theback surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 other than the regions 8having concentrated dislocations so that the insulator films 12 coverthe regions 8 having concentrated dislocations not to expose the same onthe back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1, whereby it is possibleto easily suppress development of leakage current resulting from currentflowing to the regions 8 having concentrated dislocations on the backsurface of the n-type GaN substrate 1. Consequently, optical output canbe easily stabilized when the device is subjected to constant currentdriving, whereby operations of the semiconductor device can be easilystabilized. Further, the quantity of current flowing to the regions 8having concentrated dislocations can be so reduced that it is possibleto reduce unnecessary emission from the regions 8 having concentrateddislocations.

Fabrication processes for the nitride-based semiconductor laser deviceaccording to the first embodiment are now described with reference toFIGS. 1 to 12.

First, formation processes for the n-type GaN substrate 1 are describedwith reference to FIGS. 3 to 6. More specifically, an AlGaN layer 22having a thickness of about 20 nm is grown on a sapphire substrate 21 byMOCVD (metal organic chemical vapor deposition) while holding thesubstrate temperature at about 600° C., as shown in FIG. 3. Thereafterthe substrate temperature is increased to about 1100° C., for growing aGaN layer 23 having a thickness of about 1 μm on the AlGaN layer 22. Atthis time, longitudinally propagated dislocations are formed on theoverall region of the GaN layer 23 with a density of at least about5×10⁸ cm² (about 5×1 cm², for example).

As shown in FIG. 4, mask layers 24 of SiN or SiO₂ having a thickness ofabout 390 μm and a thickness of about 200 nm are formed on the GaN layer23 by plasma CVD at an interval of about 10 μm with a period of about400 μm in a striped (elongated) shape.

As shown in FIG. 5, the mask layers 24 are employed as selective growthmasks for laterally growing an n-type GaN layer 1 a of about 150 μm inthickness doped with oxygen having a carrier concentration of about5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ on the GaN layer 23 by HVPE (halide vapor phase epitaxy)while holding the substrate temperature at about 1100° C. At this time,the n-type GaN layer 1 a is selectively longitudinally grown on portionsof the GaN layer 23 formed with no mask layers 24 and thereaftergradually grown in the lateral direction. Therefore, the regions 8having concentrated dislocations propagated in the longitudinaldirection with a density of at least about 5×10⁸ cm⁻² (about 5×10⁹ cm⁻²,for example) are formed on the portions of the n-type GaN layer 1 alocated on the portions of the GaN layer 23 formed with no mask layers24 in a striped (elongated) shape with the width of about 10 μm. On theother hand, dislocations are laterally bent on the remaining portions ofthe n-type GaN layer 1 a located on the mask layers 24 due to thelateral growth of the n-type GaN layer 1 a so that longitudinallypropagated dislocations are hardly formed and the dislocation density isnot more than about 5×10⁷ cm⁻² (about 1×10⁶ cm⁻², for example).Thereafter regions (the sapphire substrate etc.) including the masklayers 24 located under the n-type GaN layer 1 a are removed. Thus, then-type GaN substrate 1 doped with oxygen having the carrierconcentration of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ is formed as shown in FIG. 6.

Then, the n-type layer 2, the n-type cladding layer 3, the emissionlayer 4, the p-type cladding layer 5 and the p-type contact layer 6 aresuccessively formed on the n-type GaN substrate 1 by MOCVD, as shown inFIG. 7.

More specifically, the n-type layer 2 having the thickness of about 100nm and consisting of n-type GaN doped with Si having the atomic densityof about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ is formed on the n-type GaN substrate 1 withcarrier gas consisting of H₂ and N₂, material gas consisting of NH₃ andTMGa and dopant gas consisting of SiH₄ while holding the substratetemperature at the growth temperature of about 1100° C. Thereafter TMAlis further added to the material gas for growing the n-type claddinglayer 3 having the thickness of about 400 nm and consisting of n-typeAl_(0.05)Ga_(0.95)N doped with Si having the atomic density of about5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ and the carrier concentration of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ on then-type layer 2.

Then, the carrier blocking layer 4 a having the thickness of about 5 nmand consisting of n-type Al_(0.1)Ga_(0.9)N doped with Si having theatomic density of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ and the carrier concentration ofabout 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ is grown on the n-type cladding layer 3 (see FIG. 7),as shown in FIG. 2.

Then, the n-type light guide layer 4 b consisting of n-type GaN dopedwith Si having the atomic density of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ and the carrierconcentration of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ is grown on the n-type carrierblocking layer 4 a with carrier gas consisting of H₂ and N₂, materialgas consisting of NH₃ and TMGa and dopant gas consisting of SiH₄ whileholding the substrate temperature at the growth temperature of about800° C.

Thereafter TMIn is further added to the material gas for alternatelygrowing the four barrier layers 4 c of undoped In_(0.05)Ga_(0.95)N eachhaving the thickness of about 20 nm and the three well layers 4 d ofundoped In_(0.15)Ga_(0.85)N each having the thickness of about 3 nm onthe n-type light guide layer 4 b with no dopant gas, thereby forming theMQW active layer 4 e.

The material gas is changed to that consisting of NH₃ and TMGa anddopant gas consisting of Cp₂Mg is employed for growing the p-type lightguide layer 4 f having the thickness of about 100 nm and consisting ofp-type GaN doped with Mg having the atomic density of about 4×10¹⁹ cm⁻³and the carrier concentration of about 5×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ on the MQW activelayer 4 e. Thereafter TMAl is further added to the material gas forgrowing the p-type cap layer 4 g having the thickness of about 20 nm andconsisting of p-type Al_(0.1)Ga_(0.9)N doped with Mg having the atomicdensity of about 4×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ and the carrier concentration of about5×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ on the p-type light guide layer 4 f. Thus, the emissionlayer 4 consisting of the n-type carrier blocking layer 4 a, the n-typelight guide layer 4 b, the MQW active layer 4 e, the p-type light guidelayer 4 f and the p-type cap layer 4 g is formed.

As shown in FIG. 7, the p-type cladding layer 5 having the thickness ofabout 400 nm and consisting of p-type Al_(0.05)Ga_(0.95)N doped with Mghaving the atomic density of about 4×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ and the carrierconcentration of about 5×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ is formed on the emission layer 4with carrier gas consisting of H₂ and N₂, material gas consisting ofNH₃, TMGa and TMAl and dopant gas consisting of Cp₂Mg while holding thesubstrate temperature at the growth temperature of about 1100° C.Thereafter the material gas is changed to that consisting of NH₃ andTMGa for growing the p-type contact layer 6 having the thickness ofabout 10 nm and consisting of p-type GaN doped with Mg having the atomicdensity of about 4×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ and the carrier concentration of about5×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ on the p-type cladding layer 5.

At this time, dislocations of the n-type GaN substrate 1 are propagatedto form the regions 8 having concentrated dislocations extending fromthe back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 to the upper surface ofthe p-type contact layer 6.

Thereafter annealing is performed in a nitrogen gas atmosphere under atemperature condition of about 800° C.

Then, the p-side ohmic electrode 9 consisting of the Pt layer having thethickness of about 5 nm, the Pd layer having the thickness of about 100nm and the Au layer having the thickness of about 150 nm in ascendingorder is formed on the prescribed region of the p-type contact layer 6by vacuum evaporation and an Ni layer 25 having a thickness of about 250nm is thereafter formed on the p-side ohmic electrode 9 by vacuumevaporation. At this time, the p-side ohmic electrode 9 and the Ni layer25 are formed in a striped (elongated) shape with a width of about 1.5μm.

As shown in FIG. 9, the Ni layer 25 is employed as a mask for partiallydry-etching the p-type contact layer 6 and the p-type cladding layer 5by thicknesses of about 300 nm from the upper surfaces thereofrespectively with Cl₂-based gas. Thus, the striped (elongated) ridgeportion 7 constituting of the projecting portion of the p-type claddinglayer 5 and the p-type contact layer 6 is formed to extend in theprescribed direction. Thereafter the Ni layer 25 is removed.

Then, an SiN film (not shown) having a thickness of about 250 nm isformed to cover the overall surface by plasma CVD and a portion of thisSiN film located on the upper surface of the p-side ohmic electrode 9 isremoved thereby forming the insulator films 10 consisting of SiN havingthe thickness of about 250 nm, as shown in FIG. 10.

Then, the p-side pad electrode 11 consisting of the Ti layer having thethickness of about 100 nm, the Pd layer having the thickness of about100 nm and the Au layer having the thickness of about 3 μm in ascendingorder is formed on the front surfaces of the insulator films 10 byvacuum evaporation to be in contact with the upper surface of the p-sideohmic electrode 9, as shown in FIG. 11. Thereafter the back surface ofthe n-type GaN substrate 1 is polished so that the thickness thereof isabout 100 μm.

According to the first embodiment, an SiO₂ film (not shown) having athickness of about 250 nm is formed on the overall back surface of then-type GaN substrate 1 by plasma CVD, an SOG (spin-on-glass) method(application) or electron beam evaporation. Thereafter a portion of theSiO₂ film located on the region of the back surface of the n-type GaNsubstrate 1 other than the regions 8 having concentrated dislocations isremoved, thereby forming the insulator films 12 of SiO₂ having thethickness of about 250 nm and the width of about 40 μm, as shown in FIG.12. Thus, the insulator films 12 cover the regions 8 having concentrateddislocations on the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1.

Thereafter the n-side electrode 13 is formed on the back surface of then-type GaN substrate 1 by vacuum evaporation to be in contact with theregion of the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 other than theregions 8 having concentrated dislocations while covering the insulatorfilms 12, as shown in FIG. 1. More specifically, the Al layer having thethickness of about 10 nm, the Pt layer having the thickness of about 20nm and the Au layer having the thickness of about 300 nm aresuccessively formed from the side closer to the back surface of then-type GaN substrate 1, thereby forming the n-side electrode 13.Finally, scribing lines (not shown) are formed on the side of the deviceprovided with the p-side pad electrode 11 and the device is cleaved intoeach chip along the scribing lines, thereby forming the nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device according to the first embodiment.

Second Embodiment

Referring to FIG. 13, prescribed regions of ends of an n-type GaNsubstrate 1 and nitride-based semiconductor layers 2 to 5 are removed ina nitride-based semiconductor laser device according to a secondembodiment of the present invention dissimilarly to the aforementionedfirst embodiment. Therefore, the nitride-based semiconductor laserdevice is provided with no regions 8 having concentrated dislocationsdissimilarly to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1. An n-sideelectrode 33 consisting of an Al layer having a thickness of about 10nm, a Pt layer having a thickness of about 20 nm and an Au layer havinga thickness of about 300 nm successively from the side closer to theback surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 is formed on the back surfaceof the n-type GaN substrate 1 to be in contact with the overall backsurface of the n-type GaN substrate 1. The n-side electrode 33 is anexample of the “back electrode” in the present invention. The remainingstructure of the second embodiment is similar to that of theaforementioned first embodiment.

Fabrication processes for the nitride-based semiconductor laser deviceaccording to the second embodiment are described with reference to FIGS.13 to 15.

First, layers and films up to a p-side pad electrode 11 are formedthrough fabrication processes similar to those of the first embodimentshown in FIGS. 13 to 11, and the back surface of the n-type GaNsubstrate 1 is thereafter polished. Then, the n-side electrode 33 havinga thickness and a composition similar to those of the n-side electrode13 in the aforementioned first embodiment is formed on the back surfaceof the n-type GaN substrate 1 to be in contact with the overall backsurface of the n-type GaN substrate 1, thereby obtaining a structureshown in FIG. 14.

According to the second embodiment, scribing lines 40 are finally formedon the device from the side provided with the p-side pad electrode 11 tohold regions 8 having concentrated dislocations therebetween. Morespecifically, the scribing lines 40 are formed on positions of about 10μm from center lines (not shown) between adjacent lines. Thereafter thedevice is cleaved into each chip along the scribing lines 40 (see FIG.14) for removing the regions 8 having concentrated dislocationsextending from the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 to thefront surfaces of flat portions of a p-type cladding layer 5 other thana projecting portion with the same width, as shown in FIG. 15. Thus, thenitride-based semiconductor laser device according to the secondembodiment is formed as shown in FIG. 13.

In the fabrication processes according to the second embodiment, ashereinabove described, the device is cleaved into each chip for removingthe regions 8 having concentrated dislocations extending from the backsurface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 to the front surfaces of the flatportions of the p-type cladding layer 5 other than the projectingportion with the same width, whereby it is possible to easily suppressdevelopment of leakage current resulting from current flowing to theregions 8 having concentrated dislocations. Consequently, optical outputcan be easily stabilized when the device is subjected to constantcurrent driving, whereby a stably operating nitride-based semiconductorlaser device can be easily fabricated.

Further, it is possible to easily inhibit the regions 8 havingconcentrated dislocations from absorbing light emitted from an emissionlayer 4. Thus, light absorbed by the regions 8 having concentrateddislocations can be inhibited from reemission at an unintendedwavelength, whereby deterioration of color purity resulting from suchreemission can be suppressed.

Third Embodiment

Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, a third embodiment of the presentinvention is applied to a light-emitting diode device, dissimilarly tothe aforementioned first embodiment.

According to the third embodiment, an n-type cladding layer 52 having athickness of about 5 μm and consisting of n-type GaN doped with Si isformed on an n-type GaN substrate 1, as shown in FIG. 16. The n-typecladding layer 52 is an example of the “semiconductor element layer” inthe present invention.

An emission layer 53 is formed on the n-type cladding layer 52. As shownin FIG. 17, this emission layer 53 is constituted of an MQW active layer53 c formed by alternately stacking six barrier layers 53 a of undopedGaN each having a thickness of about 5 nm and five well layers 53 b ofundoped In_(0.35)Ga_(0.65)N each having a thickness of about 5 nm and aprotective layer 53 d of undoped GaN having a thickness of about 10 nm.The emission layer 53 is an example of the “semiconductor element layer”in the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 16, a p-type cladding layer 54 having a thickness ofabout 0.15 μm and consisting of p-type Al_(0.05)Ga_(0.95)N doped with Mgis formed on the emission layer 53. A p-type contact layer 55 having athickness of about 0.3 μm and consisting of p-type GaN doped with Mg isformed on the p-type cladding layer 54. The p-type cladding layer 54 andthe p-type contact layer 55 are examples of the “semiconductor elementlayer” in the present invention.

Regions 56 having concentrated dislocations, extending from the backsurface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 to the upper surface of the p-typecontact layer 55, are formed in the vicinity of ends of the n-type GaNsubstrate 1 and the nitride-based semiconductor layers 52 to 55.

In the light-emitting diode device according to the third embodiment,insulator films 57 of SiO₂ having a thickness of about 250 nm and awidth of about 40 μm are formed on the regions 56 having concentrateddislocations on the p-type contact layer 55. A p-side ohmic electrode 58is formed on the p-type contact layer 55 to be in contact with a regionof the upper surface of the p-type contact layer 55 other than theregions 56 having concentrated dislocations while covering the insulatorfilms 57. This p-side ohmic electrode 58 consists of a Pt layer having athickness of about 5 nm, a Pd layer having a thickness of about 100 nmand an Au layer having a thickness of about 5 nm in ascending order. Thep-side ohmic electrode 58 is an example of the “front electrode” in thepresent invention. A p-side pad electrode 59 consisting of a Ti layerhaving a thickness of about 100 nm, a Pd layer having a thickness ofabout 100 nm and an Au layer having a thickness of about 3 μm inascending order is formed on the p-side ohmic electrode 58.

According to the third embodiment, an n-side ohmic transparent electrode60 is formed on the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 to be incontact with a region of the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1other than the regions 56 having concentrated dislocations. This n-sideohmic transparent electrode 60 consists of an Al layer having athickness of about 5 nm, a Pt layer having a thickness of about 15 nmand an Au layer having a thickness of about 40 nm successively from theside closer to the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1. Thedistance W between each end surface of the n-side ohmic transparentelectrode 60 and each end surface of the device is about 40 μm. Then-side transparent electrode 60 is an example of the “back electrode” inthe present invention. N-side pad electrodes 61 consisting of Ti layershaving a thickness of about 100 nm, Pd layers having a thickness ofabout 100 nm and Au layers having a thickness of about 3 μm successivelyfrom the side closer to the back surface of the n-side ohmic transparentelectrode 60 are formed on prescribed regions of the back surface of then-side ohmic transparent electrode 60.

According to the third embodiment, as hereinabove described, theinsulator films 57 are formed on the regions 56 having concentrateddislocations on the p-type contact layer 55 while the p-side ohmicelectrode 58 is formed to be in contact with the region of the uppersurface of the p-type contact layer 55 other than the regions 56 havingconcentrated dislocations so that the insulator films 57 cover theregions 56 having concentrated dislocations not to expose the same onthe upper surface of the p-type contact layer 55, whereby it is possibleto suppress development of leakage current resulting from currentflowing to the regions 56 having concentrated dislocations on the uppersurface of the p-type contact layer 55. Further, the n-side ohmictransparent electrode 60 is formed on the back surface of the n-type GaNsubstrate 1 to be in contact with the region of the back surface of then-type GaN substrate 1 other than the regions 56 having concentrateddislocations, whereby it is also possible to suppress development ofleakage current resulting from current flowing to the regions 56 havingconcentrated dislocations on the back surface of the n-type GaNsubstrate 1. Consequently, optical output can be easily stabilized whenthe device is subjected to constant current driving, whereby operationsof the semiconductor device can be easily stabilized. Further, thequantity of current flowing to the regions 56 having concentrateddislocations can be so reduced that it is possible to reduce unnecessaryemission from the regions 56 having concentrated dislocations.

According to the third embodiment, further, the distance W between thesides of the n-side ohmic transparent electrode 60 and the device is setto about 40 μm so that solder can be inhibited from flowing toward thesides of the device when the solder is welded to the n-side padelectrodes 61 formed on the n-side ohmic transparent electrode 60. Thus,the device can be inhibited from a defective short.

Fabrication processes for the light-emitting diode device according tothe third embodiment are described with reference to FIGS. 16 to 21.

First, the n-type cladding layer 52, the emission layer 53, the p-typecladding layer 54 and the p-type contact layer 55 are successively grownon the n-type GaN substrate 1 by MOCVD, as shown in FIG. 18.

More specifically, the n-type cladding layer 52 having the thickness ofabout 5 μm and consisting of n-type GaN doped with Si is grown on then-type GaN substrate 1 with carrier gas consisting of H₂ and N₂ (H₂content: about 50%), material gas consisting of NH₃ and TMGa and dopantgas consisting of SiH₄ at a growth rate of about 3 ml/h while holdingthe substrate temperature at a growth temperature of about 1000° C. toabout 1200° C. (about 1150° C., for example).

Then, the six barrier layers 53 a of undoped GaN each having thethickness of about 5 nm and the five well layers 53 b of undopedIn_(0.35)Ga_(0.65)N each having the thickness of about 5 nm arealternately grown on the n-type cladding layer 52 (see FIG. 18) withcarrier gas consisting of H₂ and N₂ (H₂ content: about 1% to about 5%)and material gas consisting of NH₃, TEGa and TMIn at a growth rate ofabout 0.4 nm/s. While holding the substrate temperature at a growthtemperature of about 700° C. to about 1000° C. (about 850° C., forexample) thereby forming the MQW active layer 53 c, as shown in FIG. 17.Then, the protective layer 53 of undoped GaN having the thickness ofabout 10 nm is grown at a growth rate of about 0.4 nm/s. Thus, theemission layer 53 consisting of the MQW active layer 53 c and theprotective layer 53 d is formed.

As shown in FIG. 18, the p-type cladding layer 54 having the thicknessof about 0.15 μm and consisting of p-type Al_(0.05)Ga_(0.95)N doped withMg is grown on the emission layer 53 with carrier gas consisting of H₂and N₂ (H₂ content: about 1% to about 3%), material gas consisting ofNH₃, TMGa and TMAl and dopant gas consisting of Cp₂Mg at a growth rateof about 3 μm/h. While holding the substrate temperature at a growthtemperature of about 1000° C. to about 1200° C. (about 1150° C., forexample). Then, the material gas is changed to that consisting of NH₃and TMGa for growing the p-type contact layer 55 having the thickness ofabout 0.3 μm and consisting of p-type GaN doped with Mg on the p-typecladding layer 54 at a growth rate of about 3 μm/h.

At this time, dislocations of the n-type GaN substrate 1 are propagatedto form the regions 56 having concentrated dislocations extending fromthe back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 to the upper surface ofthe p-type contact layer 55. The H₂ content of the carrier gasconsisting of H₂ and N₂ is so reduced that the Mg dopant can beactivated without performing annealing in a nitrogen gas atmosphere.

According to the third embodiment, an SiO₂ film (not shown) having athickness of about 250 nm is formed on the overall upper surface of thep-type contact layer 55 by plasma CVD, an SOG method (application) orelectron beam evaporation. Thereafter a portion of the SiO₂ film locatedon a region of the p-type contact layer 55 other than the regions 56having concentrated dislocations is removed thereby forming theinsulator films 57 having the thickness of about 250 nm and the width ofabout 40 μm, as shown in FIG. 19. Thus, the insulator films 57 cover theregions 56 having concentrated dislocations on the upper surface of thep-type contact layer 55.

As shown in FIG. 20, the p-side ohmic electrode 58 is formed on thep-type contact layer 55 by vacuum evaporation to be in contact with theregion of the upper surface of the p-type contact layer 55 other thanthe regions 56 having concentrated dislocations while covering theinsulator films 57. More specifically, the Pt layer having the thicknessof about 5 nm, the Pd layer having the thickness of about 100 nm and theAu layer having the thickness of about 150 nm are formed in ascendingorder, thereby forming the p-side ohmic electrode 58. Then, the p-sidepad electrode 59 consisting of the Ti layer having the thickness ofabout 100 nm, the Pd layer having the thickness of about 100 nm and theAu layer having the thickness of about 3 μm in ascending order is formedon the p-side ohmic electrode 58 by vacuum evaporation. Thereafter theback surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 is polished so that thethickness of the n-type GaN substrate 1 is about 10⁰ μm.

According to the third embodiment, a metal layer (not shown) consistingof an Al layer having a thickness of about 5 nm, a Pt layer having athickness of about 15 nm and an Au layer having a thickness of about 40nm successively from the side closer to the back surface of the n-typeGaN substrate 1 is formed on the overall back surface of the n-type GaNsubstrate 1 by vacuum evaporation. Thereafter a portion of the metallayer located on a region of the back surface of the n-type GaNsubstrate 1 other than the regions 56 having concentrated dislocationsis removed thereby forming the n-side ohmic transparent electrode 60, asshown in FIG. 21. At this time, the portion of the metal layer is soremoved that the distance W between the sides of the n-side ohmictransparent electrode 60 and the device is about 40 μm.

Thereafter the n-side pad electrodes 61 consisting of the Ti layershaving the thickness of about 100 nm, the Pd layers having the thicknessof about 100 nm and the Au layers having the thickness of about 3 μmsuccessively from the side closer to the back surface of the n-sideohmic transparent electrode 60 are formed on the prescribed regions ofthe back surface of the n-side ohmic transparent electrode 60 by vacuumevaporation, as shown in FIG. 16. Finally, scribing lines (not shown)are formed from the side of the device provided with the p-side padelectrode 59 and the device is cleaved into each chip along the scribinglines, thereby forming the light-emitting diode device according to thethird embodiment.

Fourth Embodiment

Referring to FIG. 22, n-type current blocking layers 80 having athickness of about 0.4 μm and consisting of n-type Al_(0.12)Ga_(0.88)Ndoped with Ge are formed on the front surfaces of flat portions of ap-type cladding layer 5 other than a projecting portion in anitride-based semiconductor laser device according to a fourthembodiment of the present invention, dissimilarly to the aforementionedfirst embodiment.

According to the fourth embodiment, regions 8 having concentrateddislocations extending from the back surface of an n-type GaN substrate1 to the upper surfaces of the n-type current blocking layers 80 areformed in the vicinity of ends of the n-type GaN substrate 1 andnitride-based semiconductor layers 2 to 5 and 80. A p-side ohmicelectrode 79 consisting of a Pt layer having a thickness of about 5 nm,a Pd layer having a thickness of about 100 nm and an Au layer having athickness of about 150 nm in ascending order is formed on the n-typecurrent blocking layers 80 to be in contact with the upper surface of ap-type contact layer 6 constituting a ridge portion 7. A p-side padelectrode 81 consisting of a Ti layer having a thickness of about 100nm, a Pd layer having a thickness of about 100 nm and an Au layer havinga thickness of about 3 μm in ascending order is formed on the p-sideohmic electrode 79. The n-type current blocking layers 80 are examplesof the “semiconductor element layer” in the present invention, and thep-side ohmic electrode 79 is an example of the “front electrode” in thepresent invention.

According to the fourth embodiment, insulator films 12 of SiN having athickness of about 250 nm and a width of about 40 μm are formed to coverthe regions 8 having concentrated dislocations on the back surface ofthe n-type GaN substrate 1, similarly to the aforementioned firstembodiment. An n-side electrode 13 is formed on the back surface of then-type GaN substrate 1 to be in contact with the region of the backsurface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 other than the regions 8 havingconcentrated dislocations while covering the insulator films 12.

The remaining structure of the fourth embodiment is similar to that ofthe aforementioned first embodiment.

According to the fourth embodiment, effects similar to those of theaforementioned embodiment can be attained also in the nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device formed with the n-type current blockinglayers 80 consisting of n-type Al_(0.12)Ga_(0.88)N as current blockinglayers, as hereinabove described. In other words, the insulator films 12are formed on the regions 8 having concentrated dislocations on the backsurface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 while the n-side electrode 13 isformed to be in contact with the region of the back surface of then-type GaN substrate 1 other than the regions 8 having concentrateddislocations so that the insulator films 12 cover the regions 8 havingconcentrated dislocations not to expose the same on the back surface ofthe n-type GaN substrate 1, whereby it is possible to easily suppressdevelopment of leakage current resulting from current flowing to theregions 8 having concentrated dislocations on the back surface of then-type GaN substrate 1. Consequently, optical output can be easilystabilized when the device is subjected to constant current driving,whereby operations of the semiconductor device can be easily stabilized.In the fourth embodiment, however, the regions 8 having concentrateddislocations are in contact with the p-side ohmic electrode 79 on theupper surfaces of the n-type current blocking layers 80, and henceleakage current is more easily developed as compared with theaforementioned first embodiment.

Fabrication processes for the nitride-based semiconductor laser deviceaccording to the fourth embodiment are now described with reference toFIGS. 22 to 26.

First, layers up to a p-type contact layer 6 are formed throughfabrication processes similar to those of the first embodiment shown inFIGS. 3 to 7, and annealing is thereafter performed in a nitrogen gasatmosphere. Then, an SiN layer 91 having a thickness of about 200 nm isformed on a prescribed region of the p-type contact layer 6 by plasmaCVD, and an Ni layer 92 having a thickness of about 250 nm is thereafterformed on the SiN layer 91, as shown in FIG. 23. At this time, the SiNlayer 91 and the Ni layer 92 are formed in a striped (elongated) shapewith widths of about 1.5 μm.

Then, the Ni layer 92 is employed as a mask for dry-etching portions ofthe p-type contact layer 6 and the p-type cladding layer 5 bythicknesses of about 300 nm from the upper surfaces thereof withCl₂-based gas, as shown in FIG. 24. Thus, a striped (elongated) ridgeportion 7 constituted of the projecting portion of the p-type claddinglayer 5 and the p-type contact layer 6 is formed to extend in aprescribed direction. Thereafter the Ni layer 92 is removed.

As shown in FIG. 25, the n-type current blocking layers 80 having thethickness of about 0.4 μm and consisting of n-type Al_(0.12)Ga_(0.88)Ndoped with Ge are formed on the front surfaces of the flat portions ofthe p-type cladding layer 5 other than the projecting portion by MOCVDthrough the SiN layer 91 serving as a selective growth mask. At thistime, dislocations on the front surfaces of the flat portions of thep-type cladding layer 5 other than the projecting portion are propagatedto form the regions 8 having concentrated dislocations extending fromthe back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 to the upper surfaces ofthe n-type current blocking layers 80. Thereafter the SiN layer 91 isremoved.

As shown in FIG. 26, the p-side ohmic electrode 79 consisting of the Ptlayer having the thickness of about 5 nm, the Pd layer having thethickness of about 100 nm and the Au layer having the thickness of about150 nm in ascending order is formed on the n-type current blockinglayers 80 by vacuum evaporation to be in contact with the upper surfaceof the p-type contact layer 6 constituting the ridge portion 7.Thereafter the p-side pad electrode 81 consisting of the Ti layer havingthe thickness of about 100 nm, the Pd layer having the thickness ofabout 100 nm and the Au layer having the thickness of about 3 μm inascending order is formed on the p-side ohmic electrode 79. Thereafterthe back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 is polished so that thethickness of the n-type GaN substrate 1 is about 100 μm.

As shown in FIG. 22, the insulator films 12 are formed to cover theregions 8 having concentrated dislocations on the back surface of then-type GaN substrate 1 through a fabrication process similar to that ofthe first embodiment shown in FIG. 12. Thereafter the n-side electrode13 is formed on the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 by vacuumevaporation to be in contact with the region of the n-type GaN substrate1 other than the regions 8 having concentrated dislocations whilecovering the insulator films 12. Finally, scribing lines (not shown) areformed from the side of the device provided with the p-side padelectrode 81 and the device is thereafter cleaved into each chip alongthe scribing lines, thereby forming the nitride-based semiconductorlaser device according to the fourth embodiment.

Fifth Embodiment

Referring to FIG. 27, insulator films 100 of SiO₂ having a thickness ofabout 250 nm and a width of about 40 μm are formed on regions 56 havingconcentrated dislocations on the back surface of an n-type GaN substrate1 in a light-emitting diode device according to a fifth embodiment ofthe present invention, dissimilarly to the aforementioned thirdembodiment.

According to the fifth embodiment, an n-side ohmic transparent electrode110 having a thickness and a composition similar to those of the n-sideohmic transparent electrode 60 in the aforementioned third embodiment isformed on the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 to be incontact with a region of the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1other than the regions 56 having concentrated dislocations whilecovering the insulator films 100. This n-side ohmic transparentelectrode 110 consists of an Al layer having a thickness of about 5 nm,a Pt layer having a thickness of about 15 nm and an Au layer having athickness of about 40 nm successively from the side closer to the backsurface of the n-type GaN substrate 1. N-side pad electrodes 111consisting of Ti layers having a thickness of about 100 nm, Pd layershaving a thickness of about 100 nm and Au layers having a thickness ofabout 3 μm from the side closer to the back surface of the n-side ohmictransparent electrode 110 are formed on prescribed regions of the backsurface of the n-side ohmic transparent electrode 110. The n-side ohmictransparent electrode 110 is an example of the “back electrode” in thepresent invention. The remaining structure of the fifth embodiment issimilar to that of the aforementioned third embodiment.

According to the fifth embodiment, as hereinabove described, theinsulator films 100 are formed on the regions 56 having concentrateddislocations on the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 while then-side ohmic transparent electrode 110 is formed to be in contact withthe region of the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 other thanthe regions 56 having concentrated dislocations so that the insulatorfilms 100 cover the regions 56 having concentrated dislocations not toexpose the same on the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1,whereby it is possible to easily suppress development of leakage currentresulting from current flowing to the regions 56 having concentrateddislocations on the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1. Further,the insulator films 57 cover the regions 56 having concentrateddislocations not to expose the same on the upper surface of a p-typecontact layer 55 similarly to the aforementioned third embodiment,whereby it is also possible to easily suppress development of leakagecurrent flowing to the regions 56 having concentrated dislocations onthe upper surface of the p-type contact layer 55. Consequently, opticaloutput can be further easily stabilized when the device is subjected toconstant current driving, whereby operations of the semiconductor devicecan be further easily stabilized. Further, the quantity of currentflowing to the regions 56 having concentrated dislocations can be soreduced that it is possible to reduce unnecessary emission from theregions 56 having concentrated dislocations.

Fabrication processes for the light-emitting diode device according tothe fifth embodiment are described with reference to FIGS. 27 and 28.

First, layers and films up to the p-side pad electrode 59 are formedthrough fabrication processes similar to those of the third embodimentshown in FIGS. 18 to 20, and the back surface of the n-type GaNsubstrate 1 is thereafter polished. According to the fifth embodiment,an SiO₂ film (not shown) having a thickness of about 250 nm is formed onthe overall back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 by plasma CVD, anSOG method (application) or electron beam evaporation. Thereafter aportion of the SiO₂ film located on the region of the back surface ofthe n-type GaN substrate 1 other than the regions 56 having concentrateddislocations is removed thereby forming the insulator films 100 of SiO₂having the thickness of about 250 μm and the width of about 40 μm, asshown in FIG. 28. Thus, the insulator films 100 cover the regions 56having concentrated dislocations on the back surface of the n-type GaNsubstrate 1. Then, the n-side ohmic transparent electrode 110 is formedon the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 1 by vacuum evaporationto be in contact with the region of the back surface of the n-type GaNsubstrate 1 other than the regions 56 having concentrated dislocationswhile covering the insulator films 100. More specifically, the Al layerhaving the thickness of about 5 nm, the Pt layer having the thickness ofabout 15 nm and the Au layer having the thickness of about 40 nm areformed successively from the side closer to the back surface of then-type GaN substrate 1, thereby forming the n-side ohmic transparentelectrode 110.

As shown in FIG. 27, the n-side pad electrodes 111 consisting of the Tilayers having the thickness of about 100 nm, the Pd layers having thethickness of about 100 nm and the Au layers having the thickness ofabout 3 μm successively from the side closer to the back surface of then-side ohmic transparent electrode 110 are formed on the prescribedregions of the back surface of the n-side ohmic transparent electrode110 by vacuum evaporation. Finally, scribing lines (not shown) areformed from the side of the device provided with the p-side padelectrode 59 and the device is thereafter cleaved into each chip alongthe scribing lines, thereby forming the light-emitting diode deviceaccording to the fifth embodiment.

Sixth Embodiment

Referring to FIG. 29, ion implantation layers 120 having a depthreaching the inner part of an n-type cladding layer 3 from the frontsurfaces of flat portions of a p-type cladding layer 5 other than aprojecting portion are provided on regions 8 having concentrateddislocations in a nitride-based semiconductor laser device according toa sixth embodiment of the present invention, dissimilarly to theaforementioned first embodiment. The ion implantation layers 120 areformed by ion-implanting an impurity such as carbon (C), whereby theregions provided with the ion implantation layers 120 exhibit highresistance. The ion implantation layers 120 are examples of the “highresistance region” in the present invention. The remaining structure ofthe sixth embodiment is similar to that of the aforementioned firstembodiment.

According to the sixth embodiment, as hereinabove described, the ionimplantation layers 120 having the depth reaching the inner part of then-type cladding layer 3 from the front surfaces of the flat portions ofthe p-type cladding layer 5 other than the projecting portion areprovided on the regions 8 having concentrated dislocations so thatcurrent hardly flows to the regions 8 having concentrated dislocationson the front surfaces of the flat portions of the p-type cladding layer5 other than the projecting portion due to the ion implantation layers120, whereby it is possible to suppress development of leakage currentresulting from current flowing to the regions 8 having concentrateddislocations on the front surfaces of the flat portions of the p-typecladding layer 5 other than the projecting portion. Consequently,optical output can be easily stabilized when the device is subjected toconstant current driving, whereby operations of the semiconductor devicecan be easily stabilized.

The remaining effects of the sixth embodiment are similar to those ofthe aforementioned first embodiment.

In fabrication processes for the nitride-based semiconductor laserdevice according to the sixth embodiment, carbon (C) is ion-implantedinto the regions 8 having concentrated dislocations on the top surfacesof the flat portions of the p-type cladding layer 5 other than theprojecting portion at the energy of about 150 kV after a fabricationprocess similar to that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 9 andbefore formation of insulator films 10. Thus, the ion implantationlayers 120 having the ion implantation depth (thickness) reaching theinner part of the n-type cladding layer 3 from the front surfaces of theflat portions of the p-type cladding layer 5 other than the projectingportion are formed and arranged in the regions 8 having concentrateddislocations. The dose for the ion implantation is preferably set to atleast about 1×10¹⁴ cm⁻².

Seventh Embodiment

Referring to FIG. 30, recess portions 130 having a depth reaching theupper surface of an n-type cladding layer 3 from the upper surfaces ofn-type current blocking layers 80 are provided on regions located inwardbeyond regions 8 having concentrated dislocations (in the range of about50 μm to about 100 μm from both ends of the device) in a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device according to a seventh embodiment of thepresent invention in a structure similar to that (see FIG. 22) of theaforementioned fourth embodiment. A p-side ohmic electrode 149consisting of a Pt layer having a thickness of about 5 nm, a Pd layerhaving a thickness of about 100 nm and an Au layer having a thickness ofabout 150 nm in ascending order is formed on a region located inwardbeyond the recess portions 130 above the n-type current blocking layers80 to be in contact with the upper surface of a p-type contact layer 6.A p-side pad electrode 151 consisting of a Ti layer having a thicknessof about 100 nm, a Pd layer having a thickness of about 100 nm and an Aulayer having a thickness of about 3 μm in ascending order is formed onthe p-side ohmic electrode 149. The p-side ohmic electrode 149 is anexample of the “front electrode” in the present invention. The remainingstructure of the seventh embodiment is similar to that of theaforementioned fourth embodiment.

According to the seventh embodiment, as hereinabove described, therecess portions 130 having the depth reaching the upper surface of then-type cladding layer 3 from the upper surfaces of the n-type currentblocking layers 80 are provided on the regions located inward beyond theregions 8 having concentrated dislocations (in the range of about 50 μmto about 100 μm from both ends) while the p-side ohmic electrode 149 isformed on the region located inward beyond the recess portions 130 abovethe n-type current blocking layers 80 to be in contact with the uppersurface of the p-type contact layer 6, whereby it is possible tosuppress development of leakage current resulting from current flowingto the regions 8 having concentrated dislocations on the upper surfacesof the n-type current blocking layers 80. Consequently, optical outputcan be stabilized when the device is subjected to constant currentdriving, whereby operations of the semiconductor device can bestabilized. Further, the recess portions 130 part the regions of thep-type cladding layer 5 and the n-type current blocking layers 80located inward beyond the regions 8 having concentrated dislocations andthe regions 8 having concentrated dislocations from each other, wherebythe regions 8 having concentrated dislocations can be inhibited fromabsorbing light emitted from an emission layer 4 located inward beyondthe regions 8 having concentrated dislocations. Thus, light absorbed bythe regions 8 having concentrated dislocations can be inhibited fromreemission at an unintentional wavelength, whereby deterioration ofcolor purity resulting from such reemission can be suppressed.

The remaining effects of the seventh embodiment are similar to those ofthe aforementioned first embodiment.

In fabrication processes for the nitride-based semiconductor laserdevice according to the seventh embodiment, the n-type current blockinglayers 80 are formed through a fabrication process similar to that ofthe fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 25, and the recess portions 130having the depth reaching the upper surface of the n-type cladding layer3 from those of the n-type current blocking layers 80 are thereafterformed on the regions located inward beyond the regions 8 havingconcentrated dislocations by RIE (reactive ion etching). A metal layer(not shown) for constituting the p-side ohmic electrode 149 and thep-side pad electrode 151 is formed on the overall surface including theinner surfaces of the recess portions 130 by vacuum evaporation.Thereafter portions of the metal layer located on the regions 8 havingconcentrated dislocations on the n-type current blocking layers 80 andthe inner surfaces of the recess portions 130 are removed. Thus, thep-side ohmic electrode 149 is formed on the region located inward beyondthe recess portions 130 on the n-type current blocking layers 80 to bein contact with the upper surface of the p-type contact layer 6 whilethe p-side pad electrode 151 is formed on the p-side ohmic electrode149.

Referring to FIG. 31, recess portions 160 provided on regions locatedinward beyond regions 8 having concentrated dislocations have a depthreaching the inner part of an n-type cladding layer 3 from the uppersurfaces of n-type current blocking layers 80 in a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device according to a first modification of theseventh embodiment. Effects similar to those of the aforementionedseventh embodiment can be attained also according to this structure.

Referring to FIG. 32, insulator films 170 are formed to fill up regions8 having concentrated dislocations on the upper surfaces of n-typecurrent blocking layers 80 and recess portions 130 in a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device according to a second modification of theseventh embodiment. A p-side ohmic electrode 179 consisting of a Ptlayer having a thickness of about 5 nm, a Pd layer having a thickness ofabout 100 nm and an Au layer having a thickness of about 150 nm inascending order is formed on the overall upper surfaces of the n-typecurrent blocking layers 80, the insulator films 170 and a p-type contactlayer 6. Further, a p-side pad electrode 181 consisting of a Ti layerhaving a thickness of about 100 nm, a Pd layer having a thickness ofabout 100 nm and an Au layer having a thickness of about 3 μm inascending order is formed on the p-side ohmic electrode 179. Effectssimilar to those of the aforementioned seventh embodiment can beattained also according to this structure.

Eighth Embodiment

Referring to FIG. 33, ion implantation layers 190 having a depth ofabout 0.2 μm from the upper surfaces of n-type current blocking layers80 are provided on regions 8 having concentrated dislocations in anitride-based semiconductor laser device according to an eighthembodiment of the present invention in a structure similar to that ofthe aforementioned fourth embodiment (see FIG. 22). The ion implantationlayers 190 are formed by ion-implanting an impurity such as carbon (C),whereby the regions provided with the ion implantation layers 190exhibit high resistance. The ion implantation layers 190 are examples ofthe “high resistance region” in the present invention. The remainingstructure of the eighth embodiment is similar to that of theaforementioned fourth embodiment.

According to the eighth embodiment, as hereinabove described, the ionimplantation layers 190 having the depth of about 0.2 μm from the uppersurfaces of the n-type current blocking layers 80 are provided on theregions 8 having concentrated dislocations so that current hardly flowsto the regions 8 having concentrated dislocations on the upper surfacesof the n-type current blocking layers 80 due to the ion implantationlayers 190, whereby it is possible to suppress development of leakagecurrent resulting from current flowing to the regions 8 havingconcentrated dislocations on the upper surfaces of the n-type currentblocking layers 80. Consequently, optical output can be easilystabilized when the device is subjected to constant current driving,whereby operations of the semiconductor device can be easily stabilized.

The remaining effects of the eighth embodiment are similar to those ofthe aforementioned first embodiment.

In fabrication processes for the nitride-based semiconductor laserdevice according to the eighth embodiment, carbon (C) is ion-implantedinto the regions 8 having concentrated dislocations on the uppersurfaces of the n-type current blocking layers 80 at an energy of about40 keV before a step (see FIG. 26) of forming a p-side ohmic electrode79 in processes similar to those of the aforementioned fourthembodiment. Thus, the ion implantation layers 190 having the ionimplantation depth (thickness) of about 0.2 μm from the upper surfacesof the n-type current blocking layers 80 and arranged in the regions 8having concentrated dislocations, as shown in FIG. 33. The dose for theion implantation is preferably set to at least about 1×10¹⁴ cm⁻².

Ninth Embodiment

In a nitride-based semiconductor laser device according to a ninthembodiment of the present invention, a nitride-based semiconductor layerincluding a sapphire substrate is employed as the substrate for thenitride-based semiconductor laser device dissimilarly to theaforementioned first to eighth embodiments.

As shown in FIG. 34, an AlGaN layer 201 b having a thickness of about 20nm is formed on a sapphire substrate 201 a according to the ninthembodiment. A GaN layer 201 c having a thickness of about 1 μm is formedon the AlGaN layer 201 b. Longitudinally propagated dislocations areformed on the overall region of the GaN layer 201 c. A mask layer 201 dof SiN or SiO₂ having a thickness of about 200 nm is formed on aprescribed region of the GaN layer 201 c. This mask layer 201 dfunctions as a selective growth mask in a fabrication process describedlater. An undoped GaN layer 201 e having a thickness of about 5 μm isformed on the GaN layer 201 c to cover the mask layer 201 d. Thesapphire substrate 201 a, the AlGaN layer 201 b, the GaN layer 201 c,the mask layer 201 d and the GaN layer 201 e constitute a substrate 201of the nitride-based semiconductor laser device according to the ninthembodiment. The GaN layer 201 e constituting the substrate 201 is anexample of the “nitride-based semiconductor substrate” in the presentinvention.

An n-type layer 202 having a thickness of about 100 nm and consisting ofn-type GaN doped with Si having an atomic density of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³is formed on the substrate 201. An n-type cladding layer 203 having athickness of about 400 nm and consisting of n-type Al_(0.05)Ga_(0.95)Ndoped with Si having an atomic density of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ and acarrier concentration of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ is formed on the n-type layer202. An emission layer 204 having a structure similar to that of theemission layer 4 in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is formed onthe n-type cladding layer 203. The n-type layer 202, the n-type claddinglayer 203 and the emission layer 204 are examples of the “semiconductorelement layer” in the present invention.

A p-type cladding layer 205 having a projecting portion and consistingof p-type Al_(0.05)Ga_(0.95)N doped with Mg having an atomic density ofabout 4×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ and a carrier concentration of about 5×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ isformed on the emission layer 204. The projecting portion of the p-typecladding layer 205 has a width of about 1.5 μm and a height of about 300nm. Flat portions of the p-type cladding layer 205 other than theprojecting portion have a thickness of about 100 nm. A p-type contactlayer 206 having a thickness of about 10 nm and consisting of p-type GaNdoped with Mg having an atomic density of about 4×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ and acarrier concentration of about 5×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ is formed on the projectingportion of the p-type cladding layer 205. The projecting portion of thep-type cladding layer 205 and the p-type contact layer 206 constitute astriped (elongated) ridge portion 207 extending in a prescribeddirection. The p-type cladding layer 205 and the p-type contact layer206 are examples of the “semiconductor element layer” in the presentinvention.

Prescribed regions of the elements from the flat portions of the p-typecladding layer 205 other than the projecting portion up to the n-typelayer 202 are removed thereby partially exposing the front surface ofthe n-type cladding layer 202. A region 208 having concentrateddislocations extending from the interface between the GaN layer 201 cand the AlGaN layer 201 b up to the front surface of one of the flatportions of the p-type cladding layer 205 other than the projectingportion is formed in the vicinity of first ends of the GaN layer 201 econstituting the substrate 201 and the nitride-based semiconductorlayers 202 to 205. Another region 208 having concentrated dislocationsextending from the interface between the GaN layer 201 c and the AlGaNlayer 201 b up to the exposed front surface of the n-type layer 202 isalso formed in the vicinity of second ends of the GaN layer 201 econstituting the substrate 201 and the n-type layer 202.

A p-side ohmic electrode 209 consisting of a Pt layer having a thicknessof about 5 nm, a Pd layer having a thickness of about 100 nm and an Aulayer having a thickness of about 150 nm in ascending order is formed onthe p-type contact layer 206 constituting the ridge portion 207. Thep-side ohmic electrode 209 is an example of the “front electrode” in thepresent invention.

According to the ninth embodiment, insulator films 210 of SiN having athickness of about 250 nm are formed to expose the upper surface of thep-side ohmic electrode 209 and a prescribed region of the exposed frontsurface of the n-type layer 202 other than the region 208 havingconcentrated dislocations. In other words, the insulator films 210 coverthe front surfaces of the p- and n-side regions 208 having concentrateddislocations.

A p-side pad electrode 211 consisting of a Ti layer having a thicknessof about 100 nm, a Pd layer having a thickness of about 100 nm and an Aulayer having a thickness of about 3 μm in ascending order is formed onthe front surface of the first insulator film 201 located on the frontsurface of one of the flat portions of the p-type cladding layer 205other than the projecting portion to be in contact with the uppersurface of the p-side ohmic electrode 209.

According to the ninth embodiment, further, an n-side electrode 212 isformed to be in contact with the region of the exposed front surface ofthe n-type layer 202 other than the region 208 having concentrateddislocations. This n-side electrode 212 consists of an Al layer having athickness of about 10 nm, a Pt layer having a thickness of about 20 nmand an Au layer having a thickness of about 300 nm in ascending order.The n-side electrode 212 is an example of the “front electrode” in thepresent invention.

According to the ninth embodiment, as hereinabove described, the secondinsulator film 210 is formed to expose the prescribed region of theexposed front surface of the n-type layer 202 other than the region 208having concentrated dislocations while the n-side electrode 212 isformed to be in contact with the region of the exposed front surface ofthe n-type layer 202 other than the region 208 having concentrateddislocations, whereby the second insulator film 210 covers the region208 having concentrated dislocations not to expose the same on theexposed front surface of the n-type layer 202 and hence it is possibleto easily suppress development of leakage current resulting from currentflowing to the region 208 having concentrated dislocations on theexposed front surface of the n-type layer 202. Consequently, opticaloutput can be easily stabilized when the device is subjected to constantcurrent driving, whereby operations of the semiconductor device can beeasily stabilized. Further, unnecessary emission resulting from currentflowing to the region 280 having concentrated dislocations can besuppressed.

Fabrication processes for the nitride-based semiconductor laser deviceaccording to the ninth embodiment are described with reference to FIGS.34 to 38.

First, a process of forming the substrate 201 is described withreference to FIG. 35. More specifically, the AlGaN layer 201 b havingthe thickness of about 20 nm is grown on the sapphire substrate 201 a byMOCVD while holding the substrate temperature at about 600° C., as shownin FIG. 35. Thereafter the substrate temperature is increased to about1100° C. for growing the GaN layer 201 c having the thickness of about 1μm on the AlGaN layer 201 b. At this time, longitudinally propagateddislocations are formed on the overall region of the GaN layer 201 c.Then, the mask layer 201 d of SiN or SiO₂ having the thickness of about200 nm is formed on the GaN layer 201 c by plasma CVD at a prescribedinterval.

Then, the undoped GaN layer 201 e having the thickness of about 5 μm islaterally grown on the GaN layer 201 c by HVPE through the mask layer201 d serving as a selective growth mask while holding the substratetemperature at about 1100° C. At this time, the GaN layer 201 e isselectively longitudinally grown on portions of the GaN layer 201 cformed with no mask layer 201 d and thereafter gradually grown in thelateral direction. Therefore, the regions 208 having concentratedlongitudinally propagated dislocations are formed on the portions of theGaN layer 201 e formed with no mask layer 201 d. On the other hand, theGaN layer 201 e is laterally grown on the portion of the GaN layer 201 elocated on the mask layer 201 d thereby laterally bending dislocationsso that longitudinally propagated dislocations are hardly formed. Thesapphire substrate 201 a, the AlGaN layer 201 b, the GaN layer 201 c,the mask layer 201 d and the GaN layer 201 e constitute the substrate201.

As shown in FIG. 36, the n-type layer 202, the n-type cladding layer203, the emission layer 204, the p-type cladding layer 205 and thep-type contact layer 206 are successively grown on the substrate 201 byMOCVD. The striped (elongated) p-side ohmic electrode 209 is formed onthe prescribed region of the p-type contact layer 206. Thereafterportions of the p-type contact layer 206 and the p-type cladding layer205 are removed by etching by thicknesses of about 30 nm from the uppersurfaces thereof, thereby forming the striped (elongated) ridge portion207 constituted of the projecting portion of the p-type cladding layer205 and the p-type contact layer 206 to extend in the prescribeddirection.

As shown in FIG. 37, prescribed regions from the front surfaces of theflat portions of the p-type cladding layer 205 other than the projectingportion up to the n-type layer 202 are removed by etching therebypartially exposing the front surface of the n-type layer 202.

Then, an SiN film (not shown) having a thickness of about 250 nm isformed by plasma CVD to cover the overall surface. Thereafter portionsof the SiN film located on the p-side ohmic electrode 209 and theprescribed region of the exposed front surface of the n-type layer 202other than the region 208 having concentrated dislocations are removedthereby forming the insulator films 210 as shown in FIG. 38.

Then, the p-side pad electrode 211 is formed on the front surface of thefirst insulator film 210 located on the front surface of one of the flatportions of the p-type cladding layer 205 other than the projectingportion by vacuum evaporation to be in contact with the upper surface ofthe p-side ohmic electrode 209, as shown in FIG. 34. According to theninth embodiment, the n-side electrode 212 is thereafter formed on theprescribed region of the second insulator film 210 located on theexposed front surface of the n-type layer 202 to be in contact with theregion of the exposed front surface of the n-type layer 202 other thanthe region 208 having concentrated dislocations. Finally, scribing lines(not shown) are formed from the side of the device provided with thep-side pad electrode 211 and the device is cleaved into each chip alongthe scribing lines, thereby forming the nitride-based semiconductorlaser device according to the ninth embodiment.

Tenth Embodiment

Referring to FIG. 39, an n-type GaN substrate 221 is employed as asubstrate and the thickness of regions 228 having concentrateddislocations on an n-type cladding layer 223 is reduced below that ofthe remaining region of the n-type cladding layer 223 other than theregions 228 having concentrated dislocations in a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device according to a tenth embodiment of thepresent invention dissimilarly to the aforementioned first to ninthembodiments.

In the nitride-based semiconductor laser device according to the tenthembodiment, an n-type layer 222 having a thickness of about 100 nm andconsisting of n-type GaN doped with Si having an atomic density of about5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ is formed on the n-type GaN substrate 221 of about 100 μm inthickness doped with oxygen having a carrier concentration of about5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³, as shown in FIG. 39. The n-type GaN substrate 221 has awurtzite structure with a front surface of the (0001) plane. The n-typecladding layer 223 having a thickness of about 400 nm and consisting ofn-type Al_(00.5)Ga_(0.95)N doped with Si having an atomic density ofabout 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ and a carrier concentration of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ isformed on the n-type layer 222. The regions 228 having concentrateddislocations, extending from the back surface of the n-type GaNsubstrate 221 to the front surface of the n-type cladding layer 223 witha width of about 10 μm, are formed in the vicinity of ends of the n-typeGaN substrate 221, the n-type layer 222 and the n-type cladding layer223 with a period of about 400 μm in a striped (elongated) shape. Then-type GaN substrate 221 is an example of the “substrate” in the presentinvention, and the n-type layer 222 and the n-type cladding layer 223are examples of the “semiconductor element layer” and the “firstsemiconductor layer” in the present invention respectively.

According to the tenth embodiment, the n-type cladding layer 223 ispartially removed up to a prescribed depth from the upper surfacethereof so that the thickness of the regions 228 having concentrateddislocations on the n-type cladding layer 223 is smaller than that ofthe region of the n-type cladding layer 223 other than the regions 228having concentrated dislocations. An emission layer 224 having an MQWactive layer is formed on the region of the n-type cladding layer 223other than the regions 228 having concentrated dislocations. Thisemission layer 224 consists of nitride-based semiconductor layers havingthicknesses and compositions similar to those of the layers forming theemission layer 4 in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2, and has awidth (about 7.5 μm) smaller than the width of the region of the n-typecladding layer 223 other than the regions 228 having concentrateddislocations. The emission layer 224 is an example of the “semiconductorelement layer” in the present invention.

A p-type cladding layer 225 having a projecting portion and consistingof p-type Al_(0.05)Ga_(0.95)N doped with Mg having an atomic density ofabout 4×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ and a carrier concentration of about 5×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ isformed on the emission layer 224. The projecting portion of this p-typecladding layer 225 has a width of about 1.5 μm and a height of about 300nm from the upper surfaces of flat portions of the p-type cladding layer225. The flat portions of the p-type cladding layer 225 have a thicknessof about 100 nm. A p-type contact layer 226 having a thickness of about10 nm and consisting of p-type GaN doped with Mg having an atomicdensity of about 4×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ and a carrier concentration of about 5×10¹⁷cm⁻³ is formed on the projecting portion of the p-type cladding layer225. The projecting portion of the p-type cladding layer 225 and thep-type contact layer 226 constitute a striped (elongated) ridge portion227 extending in a prescribed direction. The p-type cladding layer 225and the p-type contact layer 226 are examples of the “semiconductorelement layer” and the “second semiconductor layer” in the presentinvention respectively.

A p-side ohmic electrode 229 consisting of a Pt layer having a thicknessof about 5 nm, a Pd layer having a thickness of about 100 nm and an Aulayer having a thickness of about 150 nm in ascending order is formed onthe p-type contact layer 226 constituting the ridge portion 227. Thep-side ohmic electrode 229 is an example of the “front electrode” in thepresent invention. Insulator films 230 of SiN having a thickness ofabout 250 nm are formed on exposed front surface portions of the n-typecladding layer 223 and regions of the p-side ohmic electrode 229 otherthan the upper surface thereof. A p-side pad electrode 231 consisting ofa Ti layer having a thickness of about 100 nm, a Pd layer having athickness of about 100 nm and an Au layer having a thickness of about 3μm in ascending order is formed on the front surfaces of the insulatorfilms 230 to be in contact with the upper surface of the p-side ohmicelectrode 229. An n-side electrode 232 consisting of an Al layer havinga thickness of about 10 nm, a Pt layer having a thickness of about 20 nmand an Au layer having a thickness of about 300 nm from the side closerto the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 221 is formed on theback surface of the n-type GaN substrate 221 to be in contact with theoverall back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 221.

According to the tenth embodiment, as hereinabove described, thethickness of the regions 228 having concentrated dislocations on then-type cladding layer 223 is reduced below that of the region of then-type cladding layer 223 other than the regions 228 having concentrateddislocations while the emission layer 224 is formed on the region of then-type cladding layer 223 other than the regions 228 having concentrateddislocations so that no region 228 having concentrated dislocations isformed on the p-n junction region between the n-type cladding layer 223and the p-type cladding layer 225 formed through the emission layer 224,whereby it is possible to suppress development of leakage currentresulting from current flowing to the regions 228 having concentrateddislocations. Consequently, optical output can be easily stabilized whenthe device is subjected to constant current driving, whereby operationsof the nitride-based semiconductor laser device can be easilystabilized. Further, the quantity of current flowing to the regions 228having concentrated dislocations can be so reduced that it is possibleto reduce unnecessary emission from the regions 228 having concentrateddislocations.

According to the tenth embodiment, the width of the emission layer 224is reduced below that of the region of the n-type cladding layer 223other than the regions 228 having concentrated dislocations for reducingthe p-n junction region between the n-type cladding layer 223 and thep-type cladding layer 225 formed through the emission layer 224, wherebya p-n junction capacitance formed by the n-type cladding layer 223 andthe p-type cladding layer 225 can be reduced. Thus, the speed ofresponse of the nitride-based semiconductor laser device can beincreased.

Fabrication processes for the nitride-based semiconductor laser deviceaccording to the tenth embodiment are now described with reference toFIGS. 39 to 45.

As shown in FIG. 40, elements up to the ridge portion 227 constituted ofthe projecting portion of the p-type cladding layer 225 and the p-typecontact layer 226 and the p-side ohmic electrode 229 are formed throughfabrication processes similar to those of the first embodiment shown inFIGS. 3 to 9. Thereafter a resist film 241 is formed on a prescribedregion of the p-type cladding layer 225 other than the regions 228having concentrated dislocations on the flat portions thereof, to coverthe front surfaces of the p-side ohmic electrode 229 and the ridgeportion 227.

As shown in FIG. 41, the resist film 241 is employed as a mask foretching the upper surfaces of the flat portions of the p-type claddinglayer 225 and the emission layer 224. Thus, the regions 228 havingconcentrated dislocations are removed from the p-type cladding layer 225and the emission layer 224 while the widths of the p-type cladding layer225 and the emission layer 224 are reduced below that of the region ofthe n-type cladding layer 223 other than the regions 228 havingconcentrated dislocations. Thereafter the resist film 241 is removed.

As shown in FIG. 42, an SiN film (not shown) having a thickness of about250 nm is formed by plasma CVD to cover the overall surface, and aportion of the SiN film located on the upper surface of the p-side ohmicelectrode 229 is removed thereby forming the insulator films 230 of SiNhaving the thickness of about 250 nm.

As shown in FIG. 43, the p-side pad electrode 231 consisting of the Tilayer having the thickness of about 100 nm, the Pd layer having thethickness of about 100 nm and the Au layer having the thickness of about3 μm in ascending order is formed on prescribed regions of the frontsurfaces of the insulator films 230 by vacuum evaporation to be incontact with the upper surface of the p-side ohmic electrode 229. Theback surface of the n-type GaN substrate 221 is polished so that thethickness of the n-type GaN substrate 221 is about 100 μm. Thereafterthe n-side electrode 232 consisting of the Al layer having the thicknessof about 10 nm, the Pt layer having the thickness of about 20 nm and theAu layer having the thickness of about 300 nm from the side closer tothe back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 221 is formed on the backsurface of the n-type GaN substrate 221 by vacuum evaporation to be incontact with the overall back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 221.

As shown in FIG. 44, the regions 228 having concentrated dislocationsare partially removed from the front surface of the p-side pad electrode231 up to prescribed depths of the insulator films 230 and the n-typecladding layer 223 on the boundary between the nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device and each adjacent device by RIE withchlorine. Thus, a trench 233 having a width W2 (about 60 μm, forexample) larger than that of the regions 228 having concentrateddislocations is formed on each region 228 of the device havingconcentrated dislocations.

As shown in FIG. 45, a scribing line 234 is formed on the center of thebottom of each trench 233 with a diamond point. Thereafter the device isseparated into each chip along the scribing line 234. Thus, thenitride-based semiconductor laser device according to the tenthembodiment is formed as shown in FIG. 39.

Eleventh Embodiment

Referring to FIG. 46, an emission layer 224 a is identical in width toan n-type cladding layer 223 a in a nitride-based semiconductor laserdevice according to an eleventh embodiment of the present inventiondissimilarly to the aforementioned tenth embodiment. Further, an n-typeGaN substrate 221 a is partially removed up to a prescribed depth fromthe upper surface thereof so that the thickness of regions 228 havingconcentrated dislocations on the n-type GaN substrate 221 is smallerthan that of the remaining region of the n-type GaN substrate 221 aother than the regions 228 having concentrated dislocations. An n-typelayer 222 a, the n-type cladding layer 223 a, the emission layer 224 a,a p-type cladding layer 225 a and a p-type contact layer 226 a aresuccessively formed on the region of the n-type GaN substrate 221 otherthan the regions 228 having concentrated dislocations.

Insulator films 260 are formed on flat portions of the p-type claddinglayer 225 a and side surfaces of a ridge portion 227 a and a p-sideohmic electrode 229 a. A p-side pad electrode 261 is formed on the frontsurfaces of the insulator films 260 to be in contact with the uppersurface of the p-side ohmic electrode 229 a. The n-type GaN substrate221 a, the n-type layer 222 a, the n-type cladding layer 223 a, theemission layer 224 a, the p-type cladding layer 225 a, the p-typecontact layer 226 a and the p-side ohmic electrode 229 a havethicknesses and compositions similar to those of the n-type GaNsubstrate 221, the n-type layer 222, the n-type cladding layer 223, theemission layer 224, the p-type cladding layer 225, the p-type contactlayer 226 and the p-side ohmic electrode 229 in the aforementioned tenthembodiment respectively. Further, the insulator films 260 and the p-sidepad electrode 261 also have thicknesses and compositions similar tothose of the insulator films 230 and the p-side pad electrode 231 in theaforementioned tenth embodiment respectively.

The remaining structure of the eleventh embodiment is similar to that ofthe aforementioned tenth embodiment.

According to the eleventh embodiment, as hereinabove described, thethickness of the regions 228 having concentrated dislocations on then-type GaN substrate 221 a is reduced below that of the region of then-type GaN substrate 221 a other than the regions 228 havingconcentrated dislocations while the n-type layer 222 a, the n-typecladding layer 223 a, the emission layer 224 a, the p-type claddinglayer 225 a and the p-type contact layer 226 a are successively formedon the region of the n-type GaN substrate 221 a other than the regions228 having concentrated dislocations so that the p-n junction regionbetween the n-type cladding layer 223 a and the p-type cladding layer225 a formed through the emission layer 224 a is formed with no region228 having concentrated dislocations, whereby operations of thenitride-based semiconductor laser device can be easily stabilized andunnecessary emission from the regions 228 having concentrateddislocations can be reduced similarly to the aforementioned tenthembodiment.

Fabrication processes for the nitride-based semiconductor laser deviceaccording to the eleventh embodiment are now described with reference toFIGS. 46 to 48.

First, the layers and films up to the p-side pad electrode 261 areformed through fabrication processes similar to those of the firstembodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 11 and the back surface of the n-type GaNsubstrate 221 a is polished, as shown in FIG. 47. Thereafter the n-sideelectrode 232 is formed on the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate221 a by vacuum evaporation to be in contact with the overall backsurface of the n-type GaN substrate 221 a.

As shown in FIG. 48, irradiation with the third harmonic (355 nm) of aYAG laser (fundamental: 1.06 μm) on the boundary between thenitride-based semiconductor laser device and each adjacent devicepartially removes the regions 228 having concentrated dislocations fromthe front surface of the p-side pad electrode 261 up to a prescribeddepths of the n-type GaN substrate 221 a including the insulator films260, the p-type cladding layer 225 a, the emission layer 224 a, then-type cladding layer 223 a and the n-type layer 222 a. At this time,the pulse frequency of the YAG laser is set to about 10 kHz, and thescanning speed is set to about 0.75 mm/sec. Thus, a trench 263 having awidth W3 (about 10⁰ μm, for example) larger than the width of theregions 228 having concentrated dislocations is formed on each region228 of the device having concentrated dislocations. Thereafter thedevice is separated into each chip along the trench 263. Thus, thenitride-based semiconductor laser device according to the eleventhembodiment is formed as shown in FIG. 46.

In the fabrication processes according to the eleventh embodiment, ashereinabove described, the trench 263 for separating the device intoeach chip with the YAG laser is so formed that the width W3 of thetrench 263 can be rendered larger than the width of the regions 228having concentrated dislocations, whereby the regions 228 havingconcentrated dislocations can be easily partially removed. Thus, no stepof partially removing the regions 228 having concentrated dislocationsmay be added to the step of forming the trench 263 for separating thedevice into each chip. Consequently, fabrication steps can besimplified.

Twelfth Embodiment

Referring to FIG. 49, an n-type GaN substrate 221 b is partially removedup to a prescribed depth from the upper surface thereof so that thethickness of regions 228 having concentrated dislocations is smallerthan that of the remaining region of the n-type GaN substrate 221 bother than the regions 228 having concentrated dislocations in anitride-based semiconductor laser device according to a twelfthembodiment of the present invention dissimilarly to the aforementionedtenth embodiment. An n-type layer 222 b, an n-type cladding layer 223 b,an emission layer 224, a p-type cladding layer 225 and a p-type contactlayer 226 are successively formed on the region of the n-type GaNsubstrate 221 b other than the regions 228 having concentrateddislocations. The n-type GaN substrate 221 b, the n-type layer 222 b andthe n-type cladding layer 223 b have thicknesses and compositionssimilar to those of the n-type GaN substrate 221, the n-type layer 222and the n-type cladding layer 223 in the aforementioned tenth embodimentrespectively. The emission layer 224 and flat portions of the p-typecladding layer 225 have widths (about 4.5 μm) smaller than that of then-type cladding layer 223 b.

The remaining structure of the twelfth embodiment is similar to that ofthe aforementioned tenth embodiment.

According to the twelfth embodiment having the aforementioned structure,effects similar to those of the aforementioned tenth embodiment can beattained such that it is possible to suppress development of leakagecurrent resulting from current flowing to the regions 228 havingconcentrated dislocations.

Fabrication processes for the nitride-based semiconductor laser deviceaccording to the twelfth embodiment are described with reference toFIGS. 49 and 50.

First, layers and films up to an n-side electrode 232 are formed throughfabrication processes similar to those of the tenth embodiment shown inFIGS. 40 to 43.

As shown in FIG. 50, the dicing at the boundary between thenitride-based semiconductor laser device and each adjacent devicepartially removes regions 228 having concentrated dislocations from thefront surface of the p-side electrode 231 up to a prescribed depths ofthe n-type GaN substrate 221 b including the insulator films 230, then-type cladding layer 223 b and the n-type layer 222 b. Thus, a trench273 having a width W4 (about 60 μm, for example) larger than that of theregions 228 having concentrated dislocations is formed on each region228 of the device having concentrated dislocations. Thereafter thedevice is separated into each chip along the trench 273. Thus, thenitride-based semiconductor laser device according to the twelfthembodiment is formed as shown in FIG. 49.

In the fabrication processes according to the twelfth embodiment, ashereinabove described, the trench 273 for separating the device intoeach chip by dicing is so formed that the width W4 of the trench 273 canbe rendered larger than that of the regions 228 having concentrateddislocations, whereby the regions 228 having concentrated dislocationscan be easily partially removed similarly to the fabrication processesaccording to the aforementioned eleventh embodiment. Consequently,fabrication steps can be simplified.

Thirteenth Embodiment

Referring to FIG. 51, selective growth masks 293 are formed on regionslocated inward beyond regions 288 having concentrated dislocations on ann-type GaN substrate 281 in a nitride-based semiconductor laser deviceaccording to a thirteenth embodiment of the present inventiondissimilarly to the aforementioned tenth to twelfth embodiments.

In the nitride-based semiconductor laser device according to thethirteenth embodiment, the regions 288 having concentrated dislocations,extending from the back surface to the front surface of the n-type GaNsubstrate 281 with a width of about 10 μm, are formed in the vicinity ofends of the n-type GaN substrate 281 in a period of about 400 μm in astriped (elongated) shape. The n-type GaN substrate 281 has a thicknessand a composition similar to those of the n-type GaN substrate 221 inthe aforementioned tenth embodiment. The n-type GaN substrate 281 is anexample of the “substrate” in the present invention.

According to the thirteenth embodiment, the striped (elongated)selective growth masks 293 are formed on the regions located inwardbeyond the regions 288 having concentrated dislocations on the n-typeGaN substrate 281, as shown in FIG. 52. The selective growth masks 293have a width W5 (about 3 μm) smaller than that of the regions 288 havingconcentrated dislocations. The interval W6 between each end of thedevice and an end of each selective growth mask 293 is about 30 μm. Theselective growth masks 293 are examples of the “first selective growthmask” in the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 51, n-type layers 282, n-type cladding layers 283,emission layers 284, p-type cladding layers 285 and p-type contactlayers 286 are successively formed on regions of the n-type GaNsubstrate 281 other than those formed with the selective growth masks293. The central p-type cladding layer 285 has a projecting portion, andthe p-type contact layers 286 are formed on regions of the p-typecladding layers 285 other than flat portions. The projecting portion ofthe central p-type cladding layer 285 located inward beyond theselective growth masks 293 and the central p-type contact layer 286formed on the projecting portion of this p-type cladding layer 285constitute a ridge portion 287. Dislocations of the n-type GaN substrate281 are propagated to the n-type layers 282, the n-type cladding layers283, the emission layers 284, the p-type cladding layers 285 and thep-type contact layers 286 located outward beyond the selective growthmasks 293, thereby forming the regions 288 having concentrateddislocations. The n-type layers 282, the n-type cladding layers 283, theemission layers 284, the p-type cladding layers 285 and the p-typecontact layers 286 have thicknesses and compositions similar to those ofthe n-type layer 222, the n-type cladding layer 223, the emission layer224, the p-type cladding layer 225 and the p-type contact layer 226 inthe aforementioned tenth embodiment respectively. The n-type layers 282,the n-type cladding layers 283, the emission layers 284, the p-typecladding layers 285 and the p-type contact layers 286 are examples ofthe “semiconductor element layer” in the present invention.

According to the thirteenth embodiment, recess portions 294 are formedbetween the nitride-based semiconductor layers 282 to 286 located on theregion of the n-type GaN substrate 281 located inward beyond the regions288 having concentrated dislocations and the nitride-based semiconductorlayers 282 to 286 located on the regions 288 having concentrateddislocations on the n-type GaN substrate 281.

A p-side ohmic electrode 289 is formed on the central p-type contactlayer 286 constituting the ridge portion 287. Insulator films 290 areformed to cover regions other than the upper surface of the p-side ohmicelectrode 289. A p-side pad electrode 291 is formed on surface portionsof the insulator films 290 located inward beyond the recess portions294, to be in contact with the upper surface of the p-side ohmicelectrode 289. The p-side ohmic electrode 289, the insulator films 290and the p-side pad electrode 291 have thicknesses and compositionssimilar to those of the p-side ohmic electrode 229, the insulator films230 and the p-side pad electrode 231 in the aforementioned tenthembodiment respectively. The p-side ohmic electrode 289 is an example ofthe “front electrode” in the present invention.

An n-side electrode 292 is formed on the back surface of the n-type GaNsubstrate 281 to be in contact with the region of the back surface ofthe n-type GaN substrate 281 other than the regions 288 havingconcentrated dislocations. The n-side electrode 292 has a thickness anda composition similar to those of the n-side electrode 232 in theaforementioned tenth embodiment.

According to the thirteenth embodiment, as hereinabove described, theselective growth masks 293 are formed on the regions of the n-type GaNsubstrate 281 located inward beyond the regions 288 having concentrateddislocations so that no nitride-based semiconductor layers 282 to 286are grown on the selective growth masks 293 when the nitride-basedsemiconductor layers 282 to 286 are grown on the n-type GaN substrate281, whereby the recess portions 294 can be formed between thenitride-based semiconductor layers 282 to 286 formed on the region ofthe n-type GaN substrate 281 located inward beyond the regions 288having concentrated dislocations and the nitride-based semiconductorlayers 282 to 286 formed on the regions 288 having concentrateddislocations on the n-type GaN substrate 281. Therefore, the recessportions 294 can part the nitride-based semiconductor layers 282 to 286formed with the regions 288 having concentrated dislocations and thenitride-based semiconductor layers 282 to 286 formed with no regions 288having concentrated dislocations from each other. Thus, it is possibleto suppress development of leakage current resulting from currentflowing to the regions 288 having concentrated dislocations by formingthe p-side ohmic electrode 289 on the central p-type contact layer 286located inward beyond the selective growth masks 293. Consequently,optical output can be stabilized when the device is subjected toconstant current driving, whereby operations of the nitride-basedsemiconductor layer device can be stabilized. Further, the recessportions 294 part the nitride-based semiconductor layers 282 to 286formed with the regions 288 having concentrated dislocations and thenitride-based semiconductor layers 282 to 286 formed with no regions 288having concentrated dislocations from each other so that the regions 288having concentrated dislocations can be inhibited from absorbing lightemitted from the central emission layer 284 located on the regionlocated inward beyond the regions 288 having concentrated dislocations.Thus, light absorbed by the regions 288 having concentrated dislocationscan be inhibited from reemission at an unintended wavelength, wherebydeterioration of color purity resulting from such reemission can besuppressed.

Fabrication processes for the nitride-based semiconductor laser deviceaccording to the thirteenth embodiment are described with reference toFIGS. 51 to 53.

First, the n-type GaN substrate 281 is formed through fabricationprocesses similar to those of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to6, and the striped (elongated) selective growth masks 293 of SiN havinga thickness of about 200 nm are thereafter formed on prescribed regionsof the n-type GaN substrate 281 by plasma CVD, as shown in FIGS. 52 and53. More specifically, the selective growth masks 293 having the widthW5 of about 3 μm are formed on the n-type GaN substrate 281 at aninterval W7 (W6×2) of about 60 μm to hold the regions 288 havingconcentrated dislocations therebetween.

As shown in FIG. 54, the n-type layers 282, the n-type cladding layers283, the emission layers 284, the p-type cladding layers 285 and thep-type contact layers 286 are successively formed on the n-type GaNsubstrate 281 formed with the selective growth masks 293 by MOCVD.

According to the thirteenth embodiment, no nitride-based semiconductorlayers 282 to 286 are formed on the selective growth masks 293 at thistime, whereby the recess portions 294 are formed between thenitride-based semiconductor layers 282 to 286 formed on the region ofthe n-type GaN substrate 281 located inward beyond the regions 288having concentrated dislocations and the nitride-based semiconductorlayers 282 to 286 formed on the regions 288 having concentrateddislocations on the n-type GaN substrate 281. Further, dislocations ofthe n-type GaN substrate 281 are propagated to the nitride-basedsemiconductor layers 282 to 286 formed on the regions 288 havingconcentrated dislocations on the n-type GaN substrate 281, therebyforming the regions 288 having concentrated dislocations to extend fromthe back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 281 to the upper surface ofthe p-type contact layer 286.

As shown in FIG. 55, the p-side ohmic electrode 289 is formed on thecentral p-type contact layer 286 located inward beyond the recessportions 294 while forming the ridge portion 287 constituted of theprojecting portion of the central p-type cladding layer 285 and thecentral p-type contact layer 286 through fabrication processes similarto those of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to 11. The insulatorfilms 290 are formed to cover the regions other than the upper surfaceof the p-side ohmic electrode 289, and the p-side pad electrode 291 isthereafter formed on the surface portions of the insulator films 290located inward beyond the recess portions 294 to be in contact with theupper surface of the p-side ohmic electrode 289. Thereafter the backsurface of the n-type GaN substrate 281 is polished.

Finally, a metal layer (not shown) for constituting the n-side electrode292 is formed on the overall back surface of the n-type GaN substrate281 by vacuum evaporation, and portions of the metal layer located onthe regions 288 having concentrated dislocations are removed therebyforming the nitride-based semiconductor laser device according to thethirteenth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 51.

In the fabrication processes according to the thirteenth embodiment, ashereinabove described, the selective growth masks 293 having the widthW5 smaller than that of the regions 288 having concentrated dislocationsare formed on the regions of the n-type GaN substrate 281 located inwardbeyond the regions 288 having concentrated dislocations so as to reducethe total quantity of source gas reaching the overall surfaces of theselective growth masks 293, thereby reducing the quantity of thematerial gas or decomposites thereof diffusing from the surface of theselective growth mask 293 into the front surface under the growth of thenitride-based semiconductor layers 282 to 286 located in the vicinity ofthe selective growth masks 293. Thus, amount of increase of the quantityof the material gas or decomposites thereof supplied to the frontsurface under the growth of the nitride-based semiconductor layers 282to 286 located in the vicinity of the selective growth masks 293 can beso reduced that the atoms constituting the material gas supplied to thefront surfaces of the grown nitride-based semiconductor layers 282 to286 located in the vicinity of the selective growth masks 293 can bereduced, whereby the thicknesses of the nitride-based semiconductorlayers 282 to 286 located in the vicinity of the selective growth masks293 can be inhibited from increase. Consequently, the thicknesses of thenitride-based semiconductor layers 282 to 286 can be inhibited frominequality between positions close to and separated from the selectivegrowth masks 293.

Fourteenth Embodiment

Referring to FIG. 56, selective growth masks 313 a and 313 b of SiNhaving thicknesses of about 100 nm are formed on regions 288 havingconcentrated dislocations on an n-type GaN substrate 281 and regionslocated inward beyond the regions 288 having concentrated dislocationsin a nitride-based semiconductor laser device according to a fourteenthembodiment of the present invention, dissimilarly to the aforementionedthirteenth embodiment. The selective growth masks 313 a have a width W8(about 188 μm) larger than that of the regions 288 having concentrateddislocations. The selective growth masks 313 b have a width W9 (about 2μm) smaller than that of the regions 288 having concentrateddislocations. These selective growth masks 313 b are arranged at aninterval W10 of about 5 tun from the selective growth masks 313 a. Theinterval W11 between the selective growth masks 313 b is about 10 μm.The selective growth masks 313 a are examples of the “second selectivegrowth mask” in the present invention, and the selective growth masks313 b are examples of the “first selective growth mask” in the presentinvention.

N-type layers 282 a, n-type cladding layers 283 a, emission layers 284a, p-type cladding layers 285 a and p-type contact layers 286 a aresuccessively formed on regions of the n-type GaN substrate 281 otherthan those formed with the selective growth masks 313 a and 313 b. Thecentral p-type cladding layer 285 a has a projecting portion, while thep-type contact layers 286 a are formed on regions of the p-type claddinglayers 285 a other than flat portions. The projecting portion of thecentral p-type cladding layer 285 a located inward beyond the selectivegrowth masks 313 b and the central p-type contact layer 286 a formed onthe projecting portion of this p-type cladding layer 285 a constitute aridge portion 287 a. The emission layers 284 a and the flat portions ofthe central p-type cladding layer 285 a have widths (about 10.5 μm)smaller than that of the n-type cladding layers 285 a.

According to the fourteenth embodiment, the nitride-based semiconductorlayers 282 a to 286 a formed on the n-type GaN substrate 281 are formedwith no regions 288 having concentrated dislocations. Further, recessportions 314 are formed between the n-type semiconductor layers 282 a to286 a located on the regions 288 having concentrated dislocations on then-type GaN substrate 281 and the nitride-based semiconductor layers 282a to 286 a located on the central portion of the n-type GaN substrate281.

A p-side ohmic electrode 289 a is formed on the central p-type contactlayer 286 a constituting the ridge portion 287 a. Insulator films 310are formed to cover regions other than the upper surface of the p-sideohmic electrode 289 a. A p-side pad electrode 311 is formed onprescribed regions of the front surfaces of the insulator films 310 tobe in contact with the upper surface of the p-side ohmic electrode 289a. An end of the p-side pad electrode 311 is arranged on the insulatorfilm 310 located on one region 288 having concentrated dislocationswhile the other end thereof is arranged on the insulator film 310located on one flat portion of the central p-type cladding layer 285 a.The n-type GaN substrate 281, the n-type layers 282 a, the n-typecladding layers 283 a, the emission layers 285 a, the p-type claddinglayers 285 a, the p-type contact layers 286 a and the p-side ohmicelectrode 289 a have thicknesses and compositions similar to those ofthe n-type GaN substrate 221, the n-type layer 222, the n-type claddinglayer 223, the emission layer 224, the p-type cladding layer 225, thep-type contact layer 226 and the p-side ohmic electrode 229 in theaforementioned tenth embodiment respectively. The insulator films 310and the p-side pad electrode 311 also have thicknesses and compositionssimilar to those of the insulator films 230 and the p-side pad electrode231 in the aforementioned tenth embodiment respectively.

An n-side electrode 292 is formed on the back surface of the n-type GaNsubstrate 281 to be in contact with a region of the back surface of then-type GaN substrate 281 other than the regions 288 having concentrateddislocations, similarly to the aforementioned thirteenth embodiment.

According to the fourteenth embodiment, as hereinabove described, theselective growth masks 313 a are formed on the regions 288 havingconcentrated dislocations on the n-type GaN substrate 281 so that nonitride-based semiconductor layers 282 a to 286 a are grown on theselective growth masks 313 a when the nitride-based semiconductor layers282 a to 286 a are grown on the n-type GaN substrate 281, whereby thenitride-based semiconductor layers 282 a to 286 a can be inhibited fromformation of the regions 288 having concentrated dislocations. Thus, itis possible to suppress development of leakage current resulting fromcurrent flowing to the regions 288 having concentrated dislocations.Consequently, optical output can be stabilized when the device issubjected to constant current driving, whereby operations of thenitride-based semiconductor laser device can be stabilized. Further, thequantity of current flowing to the regions 288 having concentrateddislocations can be so reduced that it is possible to reduce unnecessaryemission from the regions 288 having concentrated dislocations.

Fabrication processes for the nitride-based semiconductor laser deviceaccording to the fourteenth embodiment are described with reference toFIGS. 56 to 60.

As shown in FIGS. 57 and 58, the n-type GaN substrate 281 is formedthrough fabrication processes similar to those of the first embodimentshown in FIGS. 3 to 6, and the striped (elongated) selective growthmasks 313 a and 313 b of SiN having the thickness of about 100 nm arethereafter formed on prescribed regions of the n-type GaN substrate 281by plasma CVD. More specifically, the selective growth masks 313 ahaving a width W12 (W8×2) of about 376 μm are formed on the regions 288having concentrated dislocations on the n-type GaN substrate 281.Further, the selective growth masks 313 b having the width W9 of about 2μm are formed on the n-type GaN substrate 281 at the interval W10 ofabout 5 μm from the selective growth masks 313 a. The interval W11between the selective growth masks 313 b is set to about 10 μm.

As shown in FIG. 59, the n-type layers 282 a, the n-type cladding layers283 a, the emission layers 284 a, the p-type cladding layers 285 a andthe p-type contact layers 286 a are successively formed by MOCVD on then-type GaN substrate 281 formed with the selective growth masks 313 aand 313 b.

At this time, no nitride-based semiconductor layers 282 a to 286 a areformed on the selective growth masks 313 a and 313 b in the fourteenthembodiment. Therefore, the nitride-based semiconductor layers 282 a to286 a are formed with no regions 288 having concentrated dislocations.Further, the recess portions 314 are formed between the n-typesemiconductor layers 282 a to 286 a located on the regions 288 havingconcentrated dislocations on the n-type GaN substrate 281 and thenitride-based semiconductor layers 282 a to 286 a located on the centralportion of the n-type GaN substrate 281.

As shown in FIG. 60, the p-side ohmic electrode 289 a is formed on thecentral p-type contact layer 286 a located inward beyond the recessportions 314 while forming the ridge portion 287 a constituted of theprojecting portion of the central p-type cladding layer 285 a and thecentral p-type contact layer 286 a through fabrication processes similarto those of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to 11. The insulatorfilms 310 are formed to cover the regions other than the upper surfaceof the p-side ohmic electrode 289 a, and the p-side pad electrode 311 isthereafter formed on the prescribed regions of the front surfaces of theinsulator films 310 to be in contact with the upper surface of thep-side ohmic electrode 289 a. Thereafter the back surface of the n-typeGaN substrate 281 is polished.

Finally, a metal layer (not shown) for constituting the n-side electrode292 is formed on the overall back surface of the n-type GaN substrate281 by vacuum evaporation, and portions of the metal layer located onthe regions 288 having concentrated dislocations are removed therebyforming the nitride-based semiconductor laser device according to thefourteenth embodiment as shown in FIG. 56.

In the fabrication processes according to the fourteenth embodiment, ashereinabove described, the selective growth masks 313 b having the widthW9 smaller than that of the regions 288 having concentrated dislocationsare formed on the regions located inward beyond the regions 288 havingconcentrated dislocations on the n-type GaN substrate 281 for reducingthe total quantity of material gas reaching the overall front surfacesof the selective growth masks 313 b when growing the nitride-basedsemiconductor layers 282 a to 286 a, thereby reducing the quantity ofthe material gas or decomposites thereof surface-diffusing from thefront surfaces of the selective growth masks 313 b into the frontsurfaces under the growth of the nitride-based semiconductor layers 282a to 286 a located in the vicinity of the selective growth masks 313 b.Thus, amount of increase of the quantity of the material gas or thedecomposites thereof supplied to the front surfaces under the growth ofthe grown nitride-based semiconductor layers 282 a to 286 a located inthe vicinity of the selective growth masks 313 b can be so reduced thatthe nitride-based semiconductor layers 282 a to 286 a located in thevicinity of the selective growth masks 313 b can be inhibited fromincrease of the thicknesses. Consequently, the thicknesses of thenitride-based semiconductor layers 282 a to 286 a can be inhibited frominequality between positions close to and separated from the selectivegrowth masks 313 b.

A fabrication process for a nitride-based semiconductor laser deviceaccording to a modification of the fourteenth embodiment is describedwith reference to FIG. 61.

In the fabrication process for the nitride-based semiconductor laserdevice according to the modification of the fourteenth embodiment,selective growth masks 323 b having a width w13 (about 3 μm) smallerthan that of regions (not shown) having concentrated dislocations areformed on an n-type GaN substrate 281 to enclose element forming regions281 b, as shown in FIG. 61. At this time, the selective growth masks 323b are so formed as to arrange a plurality of openings 323 c (the elementforming regions 281 b) at a prescribed pitch along an element isolationdirection (direction A in FIG. 61) while alternately arranging those ofthe openings 323 c (the element forming regions 281 b) adjacent to eachother in a cleavage direction (direction B in FIG. 61). The width W14 ofthe openings 323 c (the element forming regions 281 b) along thedirection B is set to about 12 μm. Further, selective growth masks 323 aare formed on the overall region at an interval W15 of about 8 μm fromthe selective growth masks 313 b.

Thereafter nitride-based semiconductor layers (not shown) are formedfollowed by formation of insulator masks (not shown) and respectiveelectrodes (not shown), similarly to the fabrication processes for thenitride-based semiconductor laser device according to the aforementionedfourteenth embodiment.

In the fabrication process for the nitride-based semiconductor laserdevice according to the modification of the fourteenth embodiment, ashereinabove described, the selective growth masks 323 b having theplurality of openings 323 c arranged at the prescribed pitch along thedirection A with alternate arrangement of those adjacent to each otherin the direction B are formed on the n-type GaN substrate 281 followedby formation of the nitride-based semiconductor layers on the regions ofthe n-type GaN substrate 281 other than those formed with the selectivegrowth masks 323 b so that no nitride-based semiconductor layers areformed on the selective growth masks 323 b, whereby the nitride-basedsemiconductor layers are formed only on the regions of the n-type GaNsubstrate 281 corresponding to the openings 323 c. Thus, the distancesof the nitride-based semiconductor layers formed on the regions of then-type GaN substrate 281 corresponding to the openings 323 c in thedirection A are smaller than those of nitride-based semiconductor layerscontinuously formed on the n-type GaN substrate 281 in the direction A,whereby cracking can be suppressed due to the reduction of the distancesin the direction A. In this case, those of the openings 323 c (theelement forming regions 281 b) adjacent to each other along thedirection B are so alternately arranged that the element forming regions281 b can be alternately adjacently arranged also in the direction A.Thus, the element forming regions 281 b equivalent to those in a case offorming nitride-based semiconductor layers on the n-type GaN substrate281 continuously in the direction A can be obtained, whereby the n-typeGaN substrate 281 can be inhibited from reduction of availability whilepreventing cracking.

Fifteenth Embodiment

Referring to FIGS. 62 to 64, regions 331 a having concentrateddislocations are partially removed up to an n-type cladding layer 331 ina nitride-based semiconductor laser device 330 according to a fifteenthembodiment of the present invention while the nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device 330 is mounted in a semiconductor laser,dissimilarly to the aforementioned tenth to fourteenth embodiments.

In the nitride-based semiconductor laser device 330 according to thefifteenth embodiment, an n-type layer 332 having a thickness of about100 nm and consisting of n-type GaN doped with Si having an atomicdensity of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ is formed on an n-type GaN substrate 331 ofabout 100 μm in thickness doped with oxygen having a carrierconcentration of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³, as shown in FIG. 63. The n-type GaNsubstrate 331 has a wurtzite structure, with a front surface of the(0001) plane. The regions 331 a having concentrated dislocations areformed in a striped (elongated) shape in the vicinity of both ends ofthe n-type GaN substrate 331 and the n-type layer 332 to extend from theback surface of the n-type GaN substrate 331 up to the upper surface ofthe n-type layer 332 with a width of about 10 μm. The n-type GaNsubstrate 331 is an example of the “substrate” in the present invention,and the n-type layer 332 is an example of the “semiconductor elementlayer” or the “first semiconductor layer” in the present invention.

According to the fifteenth embodiment, the n-type cladding layer 333having a width D1 (about 7.5 μm) smaller than that of the n-type GaNsubstrate 331, an emission layer 334 and a p-type cladding layer 335 aresuccessively formed on a region of the n-type layer 332 other than theregions 331 a having concentrated dislocations.

The n-type cladding layer 333 has a thickness of about 400 nm, andconsists of n-type Al_(0.05)Ga_(0.95)N doped with Si having an atomicdensity of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ and a carrier concentration of about 5×10¹⁸cm⁻³. The n-type cladding layer 333 is an example of the “semiconductorelement layer” or the “first semiconductor layer” in the presentinvention.

As shown in FIG. 64, the emission layer 334 is constituted of an n-typecarrier blocking layer 334 a, an n-type light guide layer 334 b, an MQWactive layer 334 e, an undoped light guide layer 334 f and a p-type caplayer 334 g. The n-type carrier blocking layer 334 a has a thickness ofabout 5 nm, and consists of n-type Al_(0.1)Ga_(0.9)N doped with Sihaving an atomic density of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻¹ and a carrierconcentration of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³. The n-type light guide layer 334 bhas a thickness of about 100 nm, and consists of n-type GaN doped withSi having an atomic density of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³ and a carrierconcentration of about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻¹. The MQW active layer 334 e is formedby alternately stacking four barrier layers 334 c of undopedIn_(0.05)Ga_(0.95)N each having a thickness of about 20 nm and threewell layers 334 d of undoped In_(0.15)Ga_(0.85)N each having a thicknessof about 3 nm. The emission layer 334 is an example of the“semiconductor element layer” in the present invention, and the MQWactive layer 334 e is an example of the “active layer” in the presentinvention. The undoped light guide layer 334 f has a thickness of about100 nm and consists of undoped GaN. The p-type cap layer 334 g has athickness of about 20 nm, and consists of p-type Al_(0.1)Ga_(0.9)N dopedwith Mg having an atomic density of about 4×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ and a carrierconcentration of about 5×10¹⁷ cm⁻³.

As shown in FIG. 63, the p-type cladding layer 335 consists of p-typeAl_(0.05)Ga_(0.95)N doped with Mg having an atomic density of about4×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ and a carrier concentration of about 5×10¹⁷ cm⁻³. Thisp-type cladding layer 335 includes a flat portion 335 a and a projectingportion 335 b formed to project upward from the center of the flatportion 335 a. The flat portion 335 a of the p-type cladding layer 335has a width D1 (about 7.5 μm) smaller than that of the aforementionedn-type GaN substrate 331 and identical to that of the emission layer 334with a thickness of about 100 nm. The projecting portion 335 b of thep-type cladding layer 335 has a width W16 (about 1.5 μm) smaller thanthat of the emission layer 334 and a height of about 30 nm from theupper surface of the flat portion 335 a. The p-type cladding layer 335is an example of the “semiconductor element layer” or the “secondsemiconductor layer” in the present invention.

A p-type contact layer 336 having a thickness of about 10 nm andconsisting of p-type GaN doped with Mg having an atomic density of about4×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ and a carrier concentration of about 5×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ is formedon the projecting portion 335 b of the p-type cladding layer 335. Theprojecting portion 335 b of the p-type cladding layer 335 and the p-typecontact layer 336 constitute a striped (elongated) ridge portion 337defining a current path region. A p-side ohmic electrode 338 constitutedof a Pt layer having a thickness of 5 nm, a Pd layer having a thicknessof about 100 nm and an Au layer having a thickness of about 150 nm inascending order is formed on the p-type contact layer 336 constitutingthe ridge portion 337. The p-type cladding layer 335 and the p-typecontact layer 336 are examples of the “semiconductor element layer” andthe “second semiconductor layer” in the present invention respectively,and the p-side ohmic electrode 338 is an example of the “frontelectrode” in the present invention. Insulator films 339 of SiN having athickness of about 250 nm are formed to cover regions other than theupper surface of the p-side ohmic electrode 338.

According to the fifteenth embodiment, a p-side pad electrode 341 havinga width B1 (about 150 μm) smaller than the width of the n-type GaNsubstrate 331 is formed on prescribed regions of the insulator films 339to be in contact with the upper surface of the p-side ohmic electrode338, as shown in FIGS. 62 and 63. This p-side pad electrode 341 isrectangularly formed in plan view, as shown in FIG. 62. A first end 341a of the p-side pad electrode 341 is formed on one insulator film 339located on the upper surface of the n-type layer 332, to extend toward aregion beyond that on which a first end 334 h of the emission layer 334is located. A second end 341 b of the p-side pad electrode 341 is formedon the other insulator film 339 located on the side surface of then-type cladding layer 333, to extend toward a region beyond that onwhich a second end 334 i of the emission layer 334 is located. The firstend 341 a of the p-side pad electrode 341 is formed to have awire-bondable flat surface, while the second end 341 b of the p-side padelectrode 341 has no wire-bondable flat surface. Therefore, the secondend 341 b of the p-side pad electrode 341 has a smaller distance fromthe ridge portion 337 as compared with the first end 341 a. The p-sidepad electrode 341 is constituted of a Ti layer having a thickness ofabout 100 nm, a Pd layer having a thickness of about 100 nm and an Aulayer having a thickness of about 3 μm in ascending order. A wire 342 isbonded onto the first end 341 a of the p-side pad electrode 341, forelectrically connecting the first end 341 a of the p-side pad electrode341 with an external device.

An n-side electrode 343 constituted of an Al layer having a thickness ofabout 10 nm, a Pt layer having a thickness of about 20 nm and an Aulayer having a thickness of about 300 nm successively from the sidecloser to the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 331 is formed ona region of the back surface of the n-type GaN substrate 331 other thanthe regions 331 a having concentrated dislocations.

The structure of the semiconductor laser employing the nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device 330 according to the fifteenth embodiment isdescribed with reference to FIGS. 62, 63 and 65.

As shown in FIG. 65, the semiconductor laser employing the nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device 330 according to the fifteenth embodimentcomprises a stem 351 mounted with the nitride-based semiconductor laserdevice 330 and a cap 352 for hermetic sealing. The stem 351 is providedwith three leads 351 a to 351 c, while the leads 351 a and 351 b projectfrom the upper surface of the stem 351. A block 353 is provided on theupper surface of the stem 351, while a submount 354 is provided on theside surface of the block 353. The nitride-based semiconductor laserdevice 330 according to the fifteenth embodiment is mounted on thesubmount 354. More specifically, a cleavage plane of the nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device 330 is arranged in parallel with the uppersurface of the stem 351 for emitting a laser beam perpendicularly to theupper surface of the stem 351. The wire 342 bonded to the first end 341a (see FIGS. 62 and 63) of the p-side pad electrode 341 constituting thenitride-based semiconductor laser device 330 is electrically connectedwith the lead 351 a. A photodetector 355 is mounted on a region of theupper surface of the stem 351 opposite to the cleavage plane of thenitride-based semiconductor laser device 330. An end of a wire 356 isbonded to the photodetector 355, while the other end of the wire 356 isboned to the lead 351 b. The cap 352 is welded to the upper surface ofthe stem 351, to cover the nitride-based semiconductor laser device 330and the photodetector 355.

According to the fifteenth embodiment, as hereinabove described, thewidth D1 (about 7.5 μm) of the emission layer 334 formed on the n-typecladding layer 333 is set smaller than the width of the n-type GaNsubstrate 331 while the width of the p-type cladding layer 335 formed onthe emission layer 334 is equalized with that of the emission layer 334for reducing a p-n junction region between the n-type cladding layer 333and the p-type cladding layer 335 formed through the emission layer 334,whereby the p-n junction capacitance can be reduced. Further, the widthB1 (about 150 μm) of the p-side pad electrode 341 formed on theprescribed regions of the insulator films 339 is reduced below the widthof the n-type GaN substrate 331, so that a parasitic capacitance formedby the p-side pad electrode 341, the insulator films 339 and the n-typelayer 332 can also be reduced. Consequently, the speed of response ofthe nitride-based semiconductor laser device 330 can be increased.

According to the fifteenth embodiment, further, the first end 341 a ofthe p-side electrode 341 is formed on the insulator film 339 located onthe upper surface of the n-type layer 332 to extend toward the regionbeyond that on which the first end 334 h of the emission layer 334 islocated, whereby the first end 341 a of the p-side pad electrode 341extending beyond the region on which the first end 334 h of the emissionlayer 334 is located can be electrically connected with the lead 351 aalso when the width B1 (about 150 μm) of the p-side pad electrode 341 issmaller than the width of the n-type GaN substrate 331. Thus, it is notdifficult to connect the p-side pad electrode 341 and the lead 351 awith each other despite the width B1 (about 150 μm) of the p-side padelectrode 341 smaller than the width of the n-type GaN substrate 331.Further, the p-type cladding layer 335 formed on the emission layer 334is provided with the flat portion 335 a so that the flat portion 335 acan suppress excess of lateral optical confinement also when the p-typecladding layer 335 is provided with the projecting portion 335 b havingthe width W16 (about 1.5 μm) smaller than the width of the emissionlayer 334, whereby a transverse mode can be stabilized. Thus, thenitride-based semiconductor laser device 330 can be inhibited fromreduction of emission characteristics.

According to the fifteenth embodiment, in addition, the n-type claddinglayer 333, the emission layer 334 and the p-type cladding layer 335 areformed on the region of the n-type layer 332 other than the regions 331a having concentrated dislocations so that the n-type cladding layer333, the emission layer 334 and the p-type cladding layer 335 areprovided with no regions 331 a having concentrated dislocations, wherebycurrent can be inhibited from flowing to the regions 331 a havingconcentrated dislocations. Thus, it is possible to suppress developmentof leakage current resulting from current flowing to the regions 331 ahaving concentrated dislocations. Further, the quantity of currentflowing to the regions 331 a having concentrated dislocations can be sosuppressed that it is possible to reduce unnecessary emission from theregions 331 a having concentrated dislocations. Thus, operations of thenitride-based semiconductor laser device 330 can be stabilized.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated indetail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustrationand example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spiritand scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms ofthe appended claims.

For example, while the present invention is applied to a nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device or a light-emitting diode device as anexemplary semiconductor device in each of the aforementioned first tofifteenth embodiments, the present invention is not restricted to thisbut is also applicable to a semiconductor device other than thenitride-based semiconductor laser device or the light-emitting diodedevice.

While an n-type GaN substrate or a sapphire substrate including anitride-based semiconductor layer is employed as the substrate in eachof the aforementioned first to fifteenth embodiments, the presentinvention is not restricted to this but still another substrate such asa spinel substrate, an Si substrate, an SiC substrate, a GaAs substrate,a GaP substrate, an InP substrate, a quartz substrate or a ZrB₂substrate may alternatively be employed.

While the nitride-based semiconductor layers have wurtzite structures ineach of the aforementioned first to fifteenth embodiments, the presentinvention is not restricted to this but the nitride-based semiconductorslayer may alternatively have zinc blende crystal structures.

While the nitride-based semiconductor layers are grown by MOCVD in eachof the aforementioned first to fifteenth embodiments, the presentinvention is not restricted to this but the nitride-based semiconductorlayers may alternatively be grown by HVPE or gas source MBE (molecularbeam epitaxy) employing TMAl, TMGa, TMIn, NH₃, SiH₄, GeH₄, Cp₂Mg etc. asmaterial gas.

While the front surfaces of the nitride-based semiconductor layers areformed by the (0001) planes in each of the aforementioned first tofifteenth embodiments, the present invention is not restricted to thisbut the nitride-based semiconductor layers may alternatively be stackedso that the front surfaces thereof are oriented in another direction.For example, the nitride-based semiconductor layers may be so stackedthat the front surfaces are formed by (H, K, —H—K, 0) planes such as(1-100) planes of (11-20) planes. In this case, no piezoelectric fieldis generated in the MQW active layer so that recombination probabilityof holes and electrons can be inhibited from reduction resulting frominclination of the energy bands in the well layers. Consequently, theluminous efficiency of the MQW active layer can be improved. Furtheralternatively, the substrate may alternatively be inclined from the(1-100) plane or the (11-20) plane.

While the active layer has the MQW structure in each of theaforementioned first to fifteenth embodiments, the present invention isnot restricted to this but a similar effect can be attained with a thicksingle-layered active layer having no quantum effect or an active layerhaving a single quantum well structure.

While the substrate is formed with the regions having concentrateddislocations in a striped shape in each of the aforementioned first tofifteenth embodiments, the present invention is not restricted to thisbut the substrate may alternatively be formed with regions havingconcentrated dislocations in a shape other than a striped shape. Forexample, the masks 24 may be replaced with masks interspersed withopenings in the form of a triangular grid in FIG. 4, thereby forming asubstrate interspersed with regions having concentrated dislocations inthe form of a triangular grid. In this case, a similar effect can beattained by forming interspersal insulator films or interspersal highresistance regions in correspondence to the interspersal regions havingconcentrated dislocations. A similar effect can also be attained byforming recess portions to enclose the interspersal regions havingconcentrated dislocations.

While the n-type GaN substrate is formed by growing the n-type GaN layeron the sapphire substrate in each of the aforementioned first to eighthand tenth to fifteenth embodiments, the present invention is notrestricted to this but the n-type GaN substrate may alternatively formedby growing an n-type GaN layer on a GaAs substrate. More specifically,an n-type GaN layer of about 120 μm to about 400 μm in thickness dopedwith oxygen is formed on a GaAs substrate by HVPE and the GaAs substrateis thereafter removed thereby forming the n-type GaN substrate. At thistime, the n-type GaN substrate is preferably so formed that a carrierconcentration according to Hall effect measurement is about 5×10¹⁸ cm⁻³and an impurity concentration according to SIMS (secondary ion massspectroscopy) is about 1×10¹⁹ cm⁻³. Further alternatively, a selectivegrowth mask layer may be formed on a prescribed region of the GaAssubstrate, thereby laterally growing the n-type GaN layer.

While the ridge portion is formed on a substantially central portionbetween the regions having concentrated dislocations in each of theaforementioned first, second, fourth, sixth to ninth and tenth tofifteenth embodiments, the present invention is not restricted to thisbut the ridge portion may alternatively be formed on a position of about150 μm from a first end and about 250 μm from a second end. In thiscase, a nitride-based semiconductor located on a region deviating fromthe central portion between the regions having concentrated dislocationsis superior in crystallinity to a nitride-based semiconductor locatedsubstantially at the central portion between the regions havingconcentrated dislocations, whereby the life of the nitride-basedsemiconductor laser device can be improved.

While the ohmic transparent electrode is formed on the n side in each ofthe aforementioned third and fifth embodiments, the present invention isnot restricted to this but the ohmic transparent electrode mayalternatively be formed on the p side.

1-29. (canceled)
 30. A semiconductor device comprising: a substrateincluding a first region having a first thickness and a second regionprovided with a region of a front surface having concentrateddislocations at least on part of the front surface thereof while havinga second thickness smaller than said first thickness; a semiconductorelement layer formed on a first region of the front surface of saidsubstrate other than said second region provided with said region of thefront surface having said concentrated dislocations; a front electrodeformed to be in contact with the front surface of said semiconductorelement layer; and a back electrode of provided on a back surface ofsaid substrate, wherein said semiconductor element layer includes: afirst conductivity type first semiconductor layer, an active layerformed on said first semiconductor layer, and a second conductivity typesecond semiconductor layer formed on said active layer.
 31. Thesemiconductor device according to claim 30, wherein said active layerhas a width smaller than the width of said first semiconductor layer.